Recently, Globe updated its Globe at Home Fiber Plans to support faster speeds.
I was on Plan 1699 that used to have 60Mbps speed only. I opened the Globe at Home app (I know, it’s very buggy app, you need to bring a lot of patience), hit the Upgrade button under my Plan Details, and my speed was upgraded after 3 days:
And the upgrade even came with a free 3-month Amazon Prime Video subscription, which I barely use (I use Plex).
Magic Data is Smart’s take on GOMO that offers fixed data volume without an expiration period.
The fact that Smart doesn’t have a dedicated web page outlining the mechanics of their Smart Magic Data addon speaks volumes about its commitment to keeping the addon available to its regular customers in the near future. The option to register/subscribe disappeared recently from its Gigalife app as well.
Last option to subscribe to Smart Magic Data is via USSD code. …
Smart is not so sure whether to actually offer their Smart Magic Data or not. For one, the addon mechanics cannot be found in any page of Smart. You can only avail from the Giga Life app. And it’s available only to prepaid subscribers. There have been instances where users reported that the Magic Data disappeared from available upgrade options in the Giga Life app.
One thing is for sure, that Smart is not sure whether to continue with this offering. With the Magic Data addons, Smart is encouraging its postpaid subscribers to switch to prepaid instead.
With the coming of DITO and introduction of Globe’s GOMO, it’s Smart’s move. And they come up with: Smart MAGIC DATA:
The Magic Data appears for now to be available only to Smart’s prepaid subscribers, and it seems to be not so competitive compared to GOMO, but this development is welcome anyway, especially if you frequent an area where you find Globe’s network connection to be spotty.
You can subscribe to Smart’s Magic Data by going to their Gigalife mobile app.
Part of the reason why I chose Globe’s postpaid internet called Globe at Home was because of the freebies they came waiving at my face when I first approached their booth at the mall.
I opted for the Plan 1599, and here are the plan inclusions as described in their website: …
What are the freebies that come with your new Globe at Home subscription?Read More »
I have kept GoDaddy as my domain registrar for quite some time for two of my domain names. But upon seeing my email notice recently reminding me to renew one of the domain names, and with the renewal rates they were trying to charge me at $18.49 for a year, I thought to myself: there must be something wrong with GoDaddy.
Indeed, a few Google searches over, foraging through a few tech forums, and it was revealed that GoDaddy charges at least 30% higher than competition for domain name renewals.
You see the dirty tactic they employ here: entice you with the super low new domain registration — even for as low as $1 for the first year, then hit you hard in the latter years with exorbitant fees. If you’re not savvy enough about how domain registrations work, you’ll just yield to their whims and pay.
As for myself, I transferred my domain name to Name.com. At least, looking around on their website, they’re transparent enough to show you how much are they charging for new registrations (i.e. at reasonably discounted prices) and renewals thereafter.
I paid $9.50 for the domain transfer with Name.com, and that includes domain renewal for the first year. Moreover, their dashboard indicates that domain name renewals thereafter cost $12.99 per year.
By the way, I tried Namecheap.com and Domain.com as well. But I experienced problems while trying out their domain transfer facility, so I gave up.
Well, I was just about to write about this: about how Android keeps accessing data even though Mobile Data is off in the settings. I mean, off means “off”, right? Apparently, that’s not the case for Android. For Android systems, OFF means OS Services will still use data and access the internet — charged to your account, unless you go the Airplane mode.
Anyway, just today, I received an SMS from Smart saying that the Load Protect feature of Smart Bro is now permanently turned ON. Furthermore, to surf your favorite apps/sites, you are now required to subscribe to a data package. Thus, this means that the automatic default rate of P5/15mins.of internet has been removed to avoid any unwanted charges.
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Load Protect feature is permanently ON for all Smart Bro accountsRead More »
Troll /trōl/
noun: troll; plural noun: trolls
Digital Technology. Informal.
This is probably a rant post, which I veer away from posting on this site. But I really need to get this out of my system right now.
Trolls are so abound the internet, may they be in pages and/or topics such as politics, motoring, games, gadgets, and now even chess.
There are rumored cases of paid trolls, and there are also cases of just plain stupid people with nothing else to do worthwhile.
I have a Smart (Freedom) postpaid plan. I used it merely for internet via a pocket wifi. Since Unlisurf is now gone (the plan is not eligible for SurfMax), I opted for the regular P5 per block of 15 minutes data instead.
Last week, I used it for less than 45 minutes. Going with Smart’s current rate, my unbilled usage should have only been P13.39 (net of VAT), but instead what reflected in My Smart Dashboard was P22.32 (net of VAT).
Last Monday, I used it for another 26 minutes (less than 30 minutes). My total unbilled usage for 75 minutes should have been P22.32 (net of VAT), and yet lo and behold, My Smart Dashboard indicate I have unbilled usage of P44.60 (net of VAT). …
Smart’s regular internet, is it P10 per 15 minutes now?Read More »
Are you willing to spend P9,499.00 per month (~US$204.15) for a whopping 1Gbps fiber internet connection speed? That is — only if you’re located in Acropolis, Bel-Air Village, Forbes Park, Greenmeadows, Urdaneta Village, and White Plains areas.
…
So I’ve been blogging about this and calling @SMARTCares‘ attention for the last two weeks or so:
Perhaps, to make up for their flawed service or a futile attempt to buy me and this blog off, they reversed P100 to my Smart Bro account;
Indeed, I received that P100. …
A clear testament that Smart Bro Flexitime is a rip offRead More »
I can’t seem to get over this issue. How can I? Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) was a disappointment, especially when it came to its Smart Bro Flexitime offering.
Just a recap on what my gripe was all about, I subscribed (and resubscribed) to Flexitime 100, a surf package that promises 15 hours internet browsing valid for 7 days at a cost of P100, but noted that my data minutes deplete faster than my actual use. On top of that, I observed that my data minutes are depleting further even if I no longer use that particular data connection.
After exchanging DM’s and replies with @SMARTCares on Twitter, they just can’t seem to help me at all. I’ve laid down my issues, complete with screenshots and everything, and they still can’t seem to get to the bottom of this mess. They said they’re investigating, but all my data minutes have already been fully wiped out (that’s according to their monitoring system, not based on my actual usage), and they still have to come up with a solution. Or, better yet, just admit that their system and this offer in particular is flawed. …
Smart Communications, Inc. under-delivers on its Flexitime promiseRead More »