SMART 3G vs. Globe 3G

[clh006334]

Hi. Just wanted to ask for your comments on SMART's 3G services vis-a-vis Globe's 3G services, in terms of coverage, speed, internet access, value added services, and others. Appreciate your feedbacks. Thanks.

[son23kat]

Coverage: Smart
Rates: Smart
Speed: Globe (uses 3.5G)

[pinoypower]

and how are the rates?

[edsailormoon]

Smart 3G is nationwide and is HSDPA-ready, globe, not yet. and globe's 3.5G is only available, still, in limited areas.

Rates, the same with voice calls. smart to smart P6.50. smart - other networks P7.00 to 8.00.
Globe (P0.10/sec, P10 for 3mins., etc.) up to june 29 lang. baka tumaas pa.

My experience on smart 3G, almost anywhere i go, meron na.
Sa globe, selected areas pa rin, tapos pag nasa 3G network na ang globe, minsan mahirap mag text (send).

Video calls, ang na-try ko pa lang ay sa smart. Same with surfing, sa smart pa lang.

[urwurst_nytmayr]

On high speed internet using 6630 (smart)as wireless usb modem for PC my indicated connectivity is 460 kbps(kilobits/second). Indicated download speeds actually top 500 kbps(when multitasking). Actual dl speedsAdvertised dl speed for 6630 is 384 kbps which is < 460 or 500 kbps, is that normal? Rate is P10 per 30 minutes, which I think is more cost effective than prepaid dialup cards as per downloaded content vs time allotted. I'm curious on how fast globe high speed internet can get.

Anyway this is smart's 3g countrywide coverage, info about globe is scarce http://www.smart.com.ph/SMART/Services/3G/Coverage.htm

[edsailormoon]

Wow, mas ok nga kesa sa prepaid internet cards ah..

[ruben]

On high speed internet using 6630 (smart)as wireless usb modem for PC my indicated connectivity is 460 kbps(kilobits/second). Indicated download speeds actually top 500 kbps(when multitasking). Actual dl speedsAdvertised dl speed for 6630 is 384 kbps which is < 460 or 500 kbps, is that normal? Rate is P10 per 30 minutes, which I think is more cost effective than prepaid dialup cards as per downloaded content vs time allotted. I'm curious on how fast globe high speed internet can get.

Anyway this is smart's 3g countrywide coverage, info about globe is scarce http://www.smart.com.ph/SMART/Services/3G/Coverage.htm


Should I give up my dial up account now(php400)? My dial up account is unlimited though.

[problematic]

In my opinion Globe's 3G sucks! Always intermittent signal nila! Unlike smart where they have almost all of metro manila covered. And if your phone is "dual mode" all the time sa Globe - you get unsent text and dropped calls, dropped 3G calls!

Smart's 3G prices are higher though.

[Jose_R.A.M]

Coverage: Smart
Rates: Smart
Speed: Globe (uses 3.5G)

I was told by a representative that Globe had better coverage...

lol, 3G here...I still cant send Pic messages:mad:

[urwurst_nytmayr]

Should I give up my dial up account now(php400)? My dial up account is unlimited though.

I have calculated that for a php300 load(smart buddy/gold) and maximizing the 384 kbps DL/UL stream. You can get 2 gigabytes of DL/UL for 15 hours...

If you think you're able to exceed the 2 gigabyte mark per month on your unlimited dialup, you might as well keep the unlimited, it's a lot less hassle than trying to figure out how to maximize the DL/UL stream of your Smart prepaid:D I download mp3's a lot so I think it's not a big problem for me :)

[carcomptoy]

Why stick with prepaid? Why not get postpaid?

[urwurst_nytmayr]

Why stick with prepaid? Why not get postpaid?

I'm an extremely light phone user. I make less than 5 text messages a week, never made a call except in emergencies(excluding thunderstorms). Even if you give me a php1000 load, nothing will change, it'll just go to waste. The remaining I haven't used goes to internet, to download music and stuff, which is enuf, I don't need anything more :D

[carcomptoy]

I should've specified, but I guess I was more referring to Ruben, the guy you were advising:o

[ruben]

I should've specified, but I guess I was more referring to Ruben, the guy you were advising:o

Not prepaid.

I am using PLDTvibe unlimited for 400 pesos a month. I was once a prepaid user and found I was spending more than a hundred pesos a week that's why switched.

My options are: get 3G and disconnect my landline or keep my landline and get a DSL subscription.

[urwurst_nytmayr]

Not prepaid.

I am using PLDTvibe unlimited for 400 pesos a month. I was once a prepaid user and found I was spending more than a hundred pesos a week that's why switched.

My options are: get 3G and disconnect my landline or keep my landline and get a DSL subscription.

My pldt vibe unlimited dialup cost me 87 pesos a month excluding normal phone services, are we using the same? I can't advise you on DSL, I haven't used one, and I'm not sure if they are as reliable or as fast as fone 3G service(6630) provided by smart. But sure enough, if you are a heavy internet user, DSL is a much cheaper alternative than anything, if it's providing an uninterrupted stream at the advertised bitrate.

[ruben]

87 pesos? that's cheap! are you currently using this service? Is this the new promo they are offering? (phone line plus internet and you only pay 800+ monthly)

I am also considering smart bro dsl.

[urwurst_nytmayr]

87 pesos? that's cheap! are you currently using this service? Is this the new promo they are offering? (phone line plus internet and you only pay 800+ monthly)

I am also considering smart bro dsl.

I think it is, the thing is they just added 87 pesos to our regular phone bill. But it's not reliable, frequent loss of stream, very difficult to connect. Not good for emergencies or downloading, so despite the low cost, I still make use of smart 3G for emergencies and downloading :D

[ruben]

well, it's almost free.
you get what you pay for. dial up is dial up. I am paying 400 pesos for that same service you are getting almost free. are we using the same dial up number? (101355).

[urwurst_nytmayr]

Yes, same number :) But are you also getting the same frustrations of that dialup? I mean I've come from prepaid, and the services offered by dialup prepaids are a lot better(neglecting the expenses) compared to pldt vibe, no interruptions, consistent and continuos streaming, easy to connect.

BTW, PLDT is kinda 'forcing' us to upgraded to their broadband service, like 1000 pesos a month, I think, I'm not buying it.

[ruben]

OT. yup, same number, same frustrations but am paying more. i get used to it. I could not upgrade to broadband this time, I am saving for a car purchase.
option is disconnect my landline and get a smart bro subscription.

or go for 3G when things are ironed out and the price subsides

[InterestedParty]

Having seen first hand how their respective networks operate, Globe is a mess and Smart is not far behind. Having different parts of your network supplied by 3 different vendors who wont/dont talk to each other is asking for trouble, this is Globe's brilliant strategy.

First world operators give first world results, these guys are 3rd tier operators, without any shadow of a doubt.

[urwurst_nytmayr]

First world operators give first world results, these guys are 3rd tier operators, without any shadow of a doubt.

I take that in a very limited scope, because 1st world are still very laughable in many aspects... Truth be said, they are still a lot better than 3rd world taken as a whole.

Having different parts of your network supplied by 3 different vendors who wont/dont talk to each other is asking for trouble, this is Globe's brilliant strategy.

Where's the brilliance in that, since Globe is also 'one of those networks who won't talk to the others..'? I'm assuming Globe is one of those '3 different vendors', please Elaborate.

[dinoski]

I shifted to Globe because of Smart's poor coverage and very weak 3g signal here in Makati...yes MAKATI CITY, the finacial disctict of the Philippines. And guess what? I made the right decision. :-)

[urwurst_nytmayr]

Yeah, I just noticed when I switched to umts mode. It was intermittent.. Weird is that signal is very strong transfer speeds are ridiculously fast in Mandaluyong-next door neighbor of Makati. Anyway I'll just stick with Smart, I have no serious use of 3g services when I'm in Makati, and still covers a greater portion of the country.

[searcher]

We have been using Globe visibility 3.5G (with HSDPA) for the past 3 months (since Dec 2006). Download speed is slow in most places (less than 100 kbps even in HSDPA)… usage areas are Valle Verde, ortigas complex, and Greenhills. Faster connections were only found in Megamall which in a wifi zone or during Christmas when everybody’s out of town. More annoying with visibility, however, the connection is still intermittent. Connection modes automatically switches, we presume due to varying system load, from HSDPA, GPRS, EDGE to UMTS. The first three are slow during the UMTS mode internet service is suspended. Connection is usually stable and coverage area is actually quite large. Based on our test, visibility works along the North Luzon Expway (mostly on the slow GPRS). Overall however the frequent UMTS on-off interruptions and slow speed (matching dial-up often times) make this service a poor value for the P2000 paid per month. As a comparison, we paid P3,000 per month earlier on PLDT ADSL has regularly connection above 300 kbps, although ADSL also suffers from ‘black out days’ now and then which is also unacceptable for the price paid. Right now we are looking at the Smart 3G internet and would appreciate any input anybody has had experience using this. Thanks

[neonego]

3g services of both networks sucks. globe has also weak spots here at makati. i'll wait the sun's offer for 3g.