After fulfilling my obligations, I've finally closed my SMART-PLDT account. With 24-month contracts for their PLDT-Smart Wi-Fi plan priced at 999 pesos/month, the service quality has notably deteriorated since SMART's takeover of PLDT.
I became a SMART-PLDT subscriber in Malate, experiencing issues immediately after the satellite installation. Over a span of three months, I encountered persistent service disruptions, leading me to contact their technicians multiple times. Often, I found myself waiting for over an hour to reach their customer support.
Interestingly, the third technician identified the cause – trees near my residence were disrupting the signal. He recommended switching to the Wi-Max outdoor product. Despite my tight schedule, I visited their service centres in Alabang, Mega-mall, and Robinson Ermita. Both Ermita and Mega-mall centres informed me that changing services during the 24-month contract was impossible. However, Alabang acknowledged the problem and asked for a written complaint.
Upon failing to receive any meaningful response from SMART-PLDT, I stopped my payments. Soon after, they threatened legal action. I resumed payments to avoid legal repercussions and decided to terminate my contract in January 2016.
Another alarming incident involved a friend who purchased a modem from SMART-PLDT resembling a cellphone. Initially, the connection was robust, but over time, it rarely surpassed 1GB/day. SMART's customer service gave various excuses. The actual issue: SMART's overwhelming number of subscribers, led to a data cap of 800MB, contrary to their 'Unlimited' marketing claim. Notably, the Philippine government had previously addressed such misleading tactics by both SMART and GLOBE.
I also fell for their "unlimited" pocket Wi-Fi. After a simple Windows update, my data was exhausted. This device too had an 800MB cap, contrary to the sales pitch.
Recommendations & Insights:
- Stay clear of SMART contracts: Their service lacks reliability and credibility.
- Avoid GLOBE contracts: Their 'GLOBE Tattoo' is particularly notorious.
- I've decided to pivot to using GLOBE for mobile services, swearing off SMART products entirely.
- SMART urgently needs to bolster its network infrastructure. Compared to countries like New Zealand and Australia, which have shifted to Fiber Optic from Copper Cables, the Philippines still lags in internet quality.
- Currently, 'Sky Cable' seems a better alternative, but it has its limitations. Recommendations for other reliable providers are welcomed.
- I urge everyone to circulate this post widely. Holding SMART accountable is vital, and collective voices can usher in change.
Feel free to share your own experiences below.
Sources: Globe and SMART's Fair Use Policy
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