Smart Communications is Again The Largest Mobile Network in the Philippines

Following its efforts to improve its prepaid and postpaid offerings, Smart has managed to retake the lead from its erstwhile rival Globe Telecom to become the leading mobile services provider in the country as of Q2 2017.

According to a recent GSMA Intelligence Data report (source), Smart got a 51.4% market share by the end of June 2017 while Globe’s share was at 48.2%, representing a 2% drop from its share during the end of 2016.

After it lost the top spot to Globe in January 2017, Smart Communications beefed up and streamlined its prepaid and postpaid packages, making them more enticing to Pinoy mobile consumers. To be specific, the MVP-company added more mobile data allocation to prepaid promos all while including Free Facebook experience to some packs. Likewise, Smart started to bundle high-end or flagship-level smartphones across the board, even to entry-level and midrange postpaid plans.

References:
1. Smart All Out Surf vs Giga Surf Prepaid Promos
2. Smart Postpaid Plans Get Bigger Data Allocation
3. Smart Offers Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ Starting at Postpaid Plan 399

By the end of 2016, Smart had 62.76 million customers compared to Globe's 62.8 million. Fast forward to March 2017, Smart's total subscriber base grew to 63.1 million while Globe’s figures dropped to 58.6 million.

Both Smart Communications and Globe Telecom have yet to release an official statement on the Q2 2017 GSMA Intelligence Data Report.

Disclosure: Mark Milan Macanas, the founder and sole blogger running TechPinas.com, is currently an Online Ambassador and Digital Influencer of Smart Communications.

Smart Bro LTE Home WiFi Device Price is Php 1,995 : No Installation, No Hassles

Did you know that - thanks to Smart - it's now super easy to get WiFi access in your own home?

It's true. Believe it. Lets go.

It used to be that you need to go the head office of an Internet service provider near your residence, sign papers, submit requirements, wait for the approval processes, and oversee the installation of equipment at your place before you can enjoy the service.

But now, with the all-new Smart Bro LTE Home WiFi, all you have to do is to purchase the device both via Smart Online Store or a Smart Business Center in a mall near you, load up your Smart Bro prepaid number, subscribe to a data promo, and you're good to go!

No arduous installation needed. No hassles!

Simply plug the device to an electrical outlet, choose a promo, and start surfing!

Specs-wise, Smart Bro Prepaid Home WiFi has a minimum speed of up to 512kbps, which is better than the mobile internet minimum speed of up to 48kpbps. Device also supports the 700MHz frequency for better indoor web-browsing experience.

So what makes Smart Bro Home WiFi better than your regular Smart Bro LTE Pocket Wifi, you ask? Well, three things:

1. It's two times faster.
2. It supports up to 10 devices.
3. It has wider indoor penetration that cuts through walls.

Smart Bro LTE Home WiFi is ideal for families with children who are still studying as internet connection is important these days for supplementing lessons in school -- so they can learn like never before.

I think it's also great for dormitories, small businesses, and even pads that are being rented out via AirBnB.

If you need internet in your home or office and you don't want to undergo the usual lengthy application and installation process, this great new product and service from Smart Communications is ideal for you!

You can now purchase your Smart Bro LTE Home WiFi device for Php 1,995 if you intend to use it with Smart Bro Prepaid promos. Upon activation, you will get free 10GB of data that you can use for 7 days. After that, you will have to load up and subscribe to your desired Smart Bro SurfMax promos to continue browsing the web.

Play EverWing Facebook Game and Get Pinoy Mythical Creatures as Dragon Companions

Blackstorm Labs - the company behind the very successful Facebook game, EverWing - has a cool treat for all 7 Million+ Filipinos who are avid players of the title (myself included, of course)!

Starting on Wednesday - July 19, 2017 - 1PM, Pinoy Mythical Creatures will be included in the line-up of companion dragons that players can hatch, level up, and evolve. This is the first time that Blackstorm offered this local customization in any country across the world!

To be specific, five Pinoy mythical creatures will be added to the roster of dragons, each having special qualities. These include:

1. Sarangay - A bull with a muscular body and bejeweled ears
2. Lampong - A bright-eyed deer with a long beard
3. Kiwig - A fierce and fiery pig
4. Buwaya - A crocodile with a saddle on its back
5. Bakunawa - A serpentine dragon.

"This line-up of Philippine dragons is our treat to millions of Filipinos, who are among our most engaged and passionate players in the world. With their distinct characteristics, these Filipino dragons will surely take your game to the next level, so we hope the entire world will enjoy this update," shared Mr. Michael Carter, CEO of Blackstorm Labs.

All the above-mentioned EverWing Pinoy Mythical Creatures will be officially unveiled at the Philippine Dragon Festival, which is being presented by Smart Communications.

According to PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Wireless Consumer Division Head - Mr. Renren Reyes, "Smart is one with EverWing fans and gamers in welcoming this latest line-up of dragons, which draws from the rich Philippine folklore to give the game a uniquely Filipino flavor."

Smart Communications has a number of data promos that allow subscribers to play online games, including EverWing, and accomplish other tasks on the internet on the go. One of which is GigaSurf 50, which comes with 1GB of data allocation plus an additional 300MB for video streaming on YouTube and more, as well as Unlimited Text Messages to all networks – valid for three days at only Php 50. To register, just make sure you have enough load to cover it and text GIGA50 to 9999.

To play EverWing, simply make sure you're running the latest version of Facebook and Messenger apps on your smartphone then, visit the Official Game Page. Since EverWing is a highly social game, you'd have to play with your friends or groups on Facebook, challenge them on a weekly tournament, or team up with their group to defeat Bosses. Have fun!

Get Unli FB Access and 3GB of Data for 7 Days with Smart Giga Surf 99 Promo

Smart Communications is not actively promoting this generous promo -- but for those who require mobile connectivity on a daily basis, I hope you guys would try it out as it gives great value for money.

From giving subscibers just 1.5GB of data allocation with an additional 600MB for viewing content on Youtube, iflix, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Dubsmash, and Spinnr, the boosted Smart Giga Surf 99 promo currently offers 3GB of data, Unlimited Facebook Access with Photos, Unlimited FB Messenger, and the same 600MB for video streaming -- with 7 days validity!

Browsing Facebook on the go - with all those photos - is usually the biggest data hog for mobile consumers. Since this promo already gives you that for free, you can really maximize the use of the 3GB data allocation, which lasts for a whole week.

Personally, as a technology blogger who's always out covering gadget launches and other events around the country, I'm grateful that this promo is available to help me make the most of my hard-earned money for staying connected 24/7. Aside from the Unli FB access that's essential for me for sharing content with my readers and followers in social media, I also appreciate the doubled data allocation, which is more than enough for sending and replying to emails, uploading photos on Instagram, downloading large files from my clients via the cloud, making quick Viber calls, browsing tech news sites, and posting my own blog entries on the go.

I reckon that students, young professionals, SME business owners, and even seasoned corporate achievers - with their unique uses for mobile data - will be able maximize the big services that come bundled with this quietly launched Smart Data Promo. If you want to try out Smart Giga Surf 99, just make sure you have enough load to cover it then text GIGA99 to 2200.

I heard that Smart Giga Surf 99 is a limited time offer so you'd do well to try it out as soon as you can. Here's to hoping that Smart would extend it or even make it a standard data offering for the benefit of all Pinoy mobile consumers.

Smart All Out 99 vs Giga Surf 99 : Which Smart Prepaid Data Promo is Right For You?

Smart Communications has an amazing treat for everyone as we kick off Back-to-School season here in the Philippines!

The MVP-Company has just greatly boosted the services that are bundled with some of their prepaid promos, giving subscribers even greater value for their money. Believe it!

Two offers that received a much-appreciated enhancement are Smart All Out Surf 99 and Smart Giga Surf 99!

Even before Smart improved the allocated services that we can get from these two promos, I'd been getting inquiries from my readers on which of them is better.

Well, if you also have a similar question in your mind, I made this post for you.

First, let's take a look at what each revamped Smart Promo has to offer:

From giving subscribers only 1GB of mobile data allocation and 100 minutes of calls to Smart, Talk N' Text, and Sun, the New Smart All Out 99 now delivers 2GB of data and 200 minutes of calls; Yup! That's double the allocation in those two departments. And just like before, it still gives you Unlimited Facebook access with photos and Unlimited Text Messages to all networks!

To subscribe to Smart All Out 99, just make sure you have enough load and text AllOut99 to 9999.

On the other hand, from coming with just 1.5GB of mobile data allocation with an additional 600MB for Video Streaming on Youtube, iflix, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Dubsmash, and Spinnr, the New Smart Giga Surf 99 now offers 3GB of data, Unlimited Facebook Access with Photos, Unlimited FB Messenger, and the same 600MB for video streaming!

To subscribe to Smart Giga Surf 99, make sure your load can cover it and text Giga99 to 2200.

Now, going back to the question: Which of these two Smart Prepaid Data Promo is right for you?

Well, I think that if sending GSM text messages and making calls are just as important in your life as being connected online at all times, it would make more sense for you to subscribe to All Out Surf. If you who have loved ones, business partners, or workmates who don't have social media accounts and are still relying on SMS and calls for communication, clearly, All Out Surf would be the right choice. Now, if amount of data allocation is more important to you as most of your contacts are already in social media or online messaging apps anyway and you want as much data as possible for the amount of money you spend on subscription for downloads or video steaming, Giga Surf is obviously the better choice.

Free WiFi Along EDSA from Smart Goes Live! Here Are My SpeedTest Results!

On Friday - June 9, 2017, I graced Smart Communications' invitation to try out their Free WiFi service along EDSA, which is being offered to the public in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) under the Duterte Administration.

Our test site was the whole strip from SM MegaMall to the MRT Shaw Boulevard station, where one of Smart's big WiFi antennas is located.

According to the MVP-company, Smart Free WiFi along EDSA is available to all subscribers for 30 minutes per day without any data cap, which means that you can use it to stream video content and also to download files.

If you want to extend use, you can simply purchase Smart Wifi load from partner retailers in denominations of Php 20 pesos for 2 hours, valid for 2 days; and Php 50 for 10 hours, valid for 5 days -- or you may convert your Smart, Sun, and Talk 'N Text load to Smart WiFi minutes by texting your preferred denomination – WIFI10, WIFI20 or WIFI50 – to 9991.

As of writing, the Smart Free WiFi along EDSA is only limited to all 13 MRT platforms but soon, the service will available to all Pinoys who will be passing by or driving along the said avenue.

As a tech blogger and Smart Digital Ambassador, I was one of the first to try out Smart Free WiFi along EDSA last Friday and I took the liberty of running SpeedTest to check out how fast the connection is. At the MRT Shaw Blvd Station, I got a whopping 178.64 Mbps download speed and 109.30 Mbps upload speed.

I know. It was super fast -- but I believe that's only because the connection was hardly congested. Expect more realistic download and upload speeds once it service becomes available to everyone.

Connected to Smart Free WiFi, I ran SpeedTest on my phone again while I was in the pavement in front of EDSA Shangri-La and I got 26.21 Mbps download speed and 28.21 Mbps upload speed.

To connect to Smart WiFi on your smartphone, simply turn on your WiFi connectivity, look for the connection and click on it to enjoy the service.

With Smart Free WiFi, you can more productive on the go. Use the connection to read and send emails, to download files for work, and even to chat with your workmates via Messenger or Viber. Of course, you can also use it for fun, including playing online games on your handset or even just updating your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts.

Smart All Out 20 Offers Unlimited Facebook Access, Unli All-Net Texts, 20 Minutes of Tri-Net Calls, 150 MB Mobile Data for 24 Hours

"Kuya Mac, what's the most affordable prepaid promo by Smart currently that includes both Unli FB access and Unli SMS to all networks?"

That's what one of my cousins - who's also a Smart Prepaid subscriber - asked me as we were chatting casually in a wedding we both attended last week.

He's still a student so he does his best stretch his allowance all while making sure that he's connected everywhere he goes -- whether at school, on the road, or when hanging out with his friends after class.

I told him, "Try out Smart All 20. For just Php 20, you already get unlimited FB access, unli all-net texts, 20 minunits of calls to Smart, Sun, and Talk N' Text, and 150 MB of mobile all for 24 hours!"

I've been subscribing to it myself on one of my smartphones - as shown in the photo below - and I'm quite impressed with the service. I reside in Tondo and go to Makati a lot for meetings and events -- and I often get 4G+ connectivity with this promo, allowing me to browse Facebook faster while on the go. The 150 MB of mobile data is good enough for checking work emails and browsing TechPinas.com to make sure that it's running well. Of course, the bundled call and text services are also handy for staying in touch with my loved ones.

If you're interested, you can subscribe to this generous Smart Prepaid promo simply by making sure you have enough load and then texting 'AllOut20' to 9999. Try it out and let me know what you think about the quality of mobile connection as well as what all the bundled services allow you to accomplish per day.

Smart Postpaid Offers Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus Starting at Plan 399

It wasn't too long ago when you could only get expensive flagship smartphones from Smart Communications when you sign-up for their more high-end postpaid plans.

This year, however, the MVP-company is pulling off a shocker.

Whereas, previously, Samsung Galaxy S-series smartphones were bundled only with Smart Postpaid starting at Plan 999, you can now get the stunning Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus beginning at - get this - Plan 399! Yup. It's true!

Imagine: For just Php 399 plus a monthly fee of Php 1,500 (along with a one-time cash-out of Php 5,000 upon sign-up), you can already own the Samsung Galaxy S8 and enjoy Smart's reliable mobile services -- to be specific, 3GB of mobile data, unlimited All-Net SMS, plus 20 minutes of calls to all networks per month.

Side Note: Watch my exclusive hands-on and initial impressions video of the Samsung Galaxy S8 2017 flagship Android smartphone:


Want the larger Samsung Galaxy S8+? Well, you can just add Php 1,500/month plus a one-time cash-out of Php 8,000 to Plan 399 under a 24-month contract to get hold of the incredible 6.2-inch top-of-the-line phablet!

Update as of April 27, 2017: Smart Postpaid has lowered the one-time cash-out requirement for Samsung Galaxy S8 to just Php 3,000 (from Php 5,000) and only Php 6,000 (from Php 8,000) for the Samsung Galaxy S8+! Kindly share.

Here's the cool part: You can also get Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ simply by adding adding Php 1,500 per month to all of Smart Postpaid's baseline plans, including Plan 599 with monthly 5GB data, Plan 799 with monthly 8GB data, Plan 999 with monthly 10GB data, Plan 1499 with monthly 18GB data, Plan 1999 with monthly 24GB data, Plan 2499 with monthly 30GB data, and Plan 2999 with monthly 36GB data.

All of these Smart Postpaid Plans come with built-in call minutes to all networks, unlimited texts to all networks, and free access to popular messaging apps: Facebook Messenger, Viber, and Whatsapp.

For those who want to enjoy luxurious, exclusive perks and privileges, Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ will also be made available with premium data plans from MVP's high-end brand, Smart Infinity.

The 5.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S8 and the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S8+ - together - represent the absolute best that the Korean Giant has to offer in the smartphone category for the first three quarters of 2017.

Some of the key selling points of these two powerhouse handsets include their stunning QHD SuperAMOLED Curved Infinity Display, sleek glass-metal-glass-sandwich design language, IP68 Water and Dust resistant build, beastly Exynos 8890 Octa processor, 4K video recording capability, 8MP f/1.7 Selfie Camera in front, and industry-leading 12 MegaPixel Dual Pixel f/1.7 camera with optical image stabilization.

Supplementary Reading:
Samsung Galaxy S8 Philippines
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Philippines

Smart Postpaid Plans Get Bigger Data Allocation, Unli All-Net Texts, and All-Net Calls

To make its postpaid plans more enticing to mobile consumers, Smart Communications has beefed up the bundled products and services that go with each offer.

This laudable move by the MVP-company gives subscribers even greater value for their money and allows them to build more meaningful connections and relationships.

One of the plans that got a major boost is the budget-friendly Smart Postpaid Plan 399, which now gives subscribers 3GB of Volume Data for Open Access, Unlimited All-Net Texts, 20 Minutes of All-Net Calls, and Free 500MB Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Viber access per month! Previously, this plan came with only 1GB of mobile data with no access to the mentioned messenger apps.

With 3GB of Data, you can already watch up 6 full-length movies or listen to more than 80 music tracks! If you love watching gadget reviews and features on Youtube, this allocation should allow you to view up to 10 quick review clips.

Starting this month - April 2017, Smart Postpaid Plan 599 and 799 will likewise get an additional 1GB of open access mobile data allocation bringing the total to 5GB and 8GB, respectively -- apart from the messenger app freebie.

For Plans 999 and above, subscribers will get free access to an app of their choice per month. Some of the applications they can choose from include Facebook, Twitter, Waze, Spinnr, and Instagram.

I personally find Smart Postpaid Plan 999 particularly enticing with 10GB of Data Allocation. As a Youtube Partner and Video Creator, this should be good enough for me to upload more than 20 smartphone and laptop reviews on the site per month! Talk about enjoying a reliable service to get my job done and to share my work with my supporters and subscribers.

Interested? You just need one valid ID to sign up for a line-only Smart Postpaid Plan! It's really easy. Just visit a Smart Business Center near you for quick registration.

After signing up, Smart Postpaid subscribers can then pick from a variety of powerful and feature-packed smartphones to go with their Plans, starting at just an additional Php 200 per month for 30 months. As of writing here are the available handsets:

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro - Php 600/mo. for 30 mos.
Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime - Php 400/mo. for 30 mos.
Samsung Galaxy A7 - Php 800/mo. for 30 mos.
Oppo F3 - Php 800/mo for 30 mos.
Huawei Mate 9 - Php 800/mo for 30mos.
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ - Php 1500/mo. for 24 mos. (with one-time cash out)
REG OFFER: 3k one-time cash out for S8, 6k for S8+

Previous offers:
LG K7 - Php 200/mo. for 30 mos.
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 - Php 400/mo. for 30 mos.
LG Stylus 3 - Php 400/mo. for 30 mos.
Apple iPhone 6 16GB - Php 400/mo. for 30 mos.
Apple iPhone 6S 16GB - Php 1000/mo. for 30 mos.
Apple iPhone 7 32GB - Php 1,500/mo. for 30 mos.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge - Php 1,500/mo. for 30 mos.
Apple iPhone 7 128GB - Php 2,000/mo. for 30 mos.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus 32GB - Php 2,000/mo. for 30 mos.

For those who love watching movies and TV series on their handsets, Smart offers cool entertainment app services that can be bundled with these plans. You can enjoy iWantTV, iflix, and FOX+ on your smartphones for only Php 120, Php 99, and Php 390 per month, respectively.

If you love making calls and the bundled 'call minutes' in your Plan is just not enough for you, you can always sign up for All Net Talk 249 Flexibundle top up and enjoy an additional 80 minutes of calls to all networks!

Now, here's the best thing in all of these: Smart Communications is currently gearing up to deliver even faster, more reliable and higher quality mobile services all over the country through aggressive LTE network rollout and constant improvements. In fact, subscribers in many parts of the country are now starting to feel the benefits of these enhancements via top-notch download and upload speeds. I personally got to experience it in its maximum during my visit to Davao last month, March 2017. And even here in Manila, Smart LTE speeds are now getting a major boost. Experience it for yourself by signing up for a Smart Postpaid Plan today!

Smart Express Call 50 Offers All-Net Calls at 1 Peso Per Minute

When it comes to expressing emotions, explaining ideas, or even just giving directions, making voice calls definitely beats sending plain text messages -- almost all the time.

The nuances of speech allow us to pack and deliver more content in a single line versus the same words in text form.

And that's reason why I totally appreciate this new prepaid promo from Smart Communications that greatly cuts down the cost of per-minute calls, making them a more viable option to just sending SMS.

Regularly, it would cost a subscriber Php 7.50 as soon as the party on the other line picks-up a call and another Php 7.50 after a minute of conversation.

But with the all-new Smart Express Call 50, both prepaid and postpaid subscribers will be able to enjoy 50 minutes of all-net calls, valid for 3 days; Bringing down the cost of calling your loved ones on any network to only Php 1 per minute!

Amazing, right?

I believe this is perfect for parents who always want to check on their kids in school or lovers who want to hear each others' voices every chance they can. It's really an ideal promo for those who want to strengthen personal ties and relationships.

Also, I think Smart Express Call 50 is great for SME business partners who often talk about their daily transactions even when they are in separate locations and even just for making calls to your UBER driver to give clear directions to your pick-up location.

Slated to be rolled out real soon, this very useful and budget-friendly promo - which will have counterparts from Talk N' Text and Sun - is in line with Smart’s goal of providing Filipinos with meaningful connections through innovative mobile products and services.

Follow Smart Communications on Facebook, Twitter (@LiveSmart), and Instagram (@LiveSmart) for the latest updates on their freshest promos and industry-leading offerings.

Smart GigaSurf 50 Promo Now Includes Unli-Text to All Networks

Bigger is usually better as Smart's best value data promo GigaSurf 50 now lets you text all your friends regardless of which network they are subscribed to for 3 days, unlimited!

With this offer, you get the same 1GB data allocation for all apps and sites plus 300MB more for iflix, YouTube, Spinnr, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and Dubsmash -- and - get this - Unlimited Texts to Smart, Sun, Talk N' Text, and Globe all for only 50 pesos valid for 3 days!

To register, simply make sure you have enough load to cover the promo then text GIGA50 to 9999. Alternatively, you may dial *121# and look for GigaSurf under internet packages.

It gets better as you can also share data to your Smart Prepaid and Smart Bro Prepaid friends using the 1GB allocation by sending PASADATA 11 digit number amount in MB then send to 808. You can share a minimum of 50MB that lasts for 24 hours from the time of transfer. This promo runs until March 31, 2017.

GigaSurf has truly come a long way since it started with BigBytes 50 that had just 350MB for 3 days superseding their own SurfMax promos back in the day. Clearly, Smart continues to improve their services and promos to meet the ever increasing digital demands of Filipinos. I'm excited to see what they have in store for all us in the near future.

This article was written and submitted by TechPinas Correspondent, Charles Quiachon.