An old friend sent me an email about his problems with Globe’ Kababayan SIM card when using it in Singapore. He tried to reach Globe CSR to no avail and requested if I could publish his letter here.
Dear Globe,I noticed in your website under Globe Postpaid Value Offers and Globe Prepaid Value Offers that your International Text Offers for P1 Globe to Singtel PREPAID Mobile Int’l Text is still in effect as of 1st April 2008. Let me clarify now that all Globe Kababayan subscribers in Singapore are Singtel PREPAID subscribers.
Please explain why my friends are being charged P15 for every text they send to my GLOBE KABABAYAN prepaid number here in Singapore. Furthermore, I just came back from my 2-week vacation from the Philippines and used a postpaid Globe mobile to send quite a lot of texts to my Globe Kababayan friends here in Singapore and I am horrified to look at the next bill.
I know that an SMS was sent sometime around 15 March informing Globe subscribers that the P1 text to SINGTEL promo has ended and I immediately made a call to your Customer Service to clarify whether this applies to texts made to Singtel Globe Kababayan as well and was informed that texts to Globe Kababayan are still at P1. Unfortunately, I could not recall the agent I spoke to nor the exact date I made the call. My best guess would be somewhere between 14March to 18March from 12pm to 3pm. If that call was recorded in any voice recording device, you can verify it from there.
I also know that you have a new promo found in your Globe Kababayan website which only applies to Globe Prepaid subscribers. This is conflicting with the (incorrect) information given under the Globe Prepaid Value Offers in your Customer Service website.
Finally, what options do postpaid subscribers have for texting to Globe Kababayan subscribers in Singapore if the Globe Postpaid Value Offers section in your Customer Service website is also incorrect?
I am looking forward to your answers. I know that it is already hopeless to expect refunds for those charged with P15/text for sending texts to Singtel Prepaid Globe Kababayan subscribers here in Singapore but I would appreciate some clarification. I am still not keen on switching over to Smart Pinoy (never was a Smart fan) as I have been comfortably using your Globe services for a decade. Please don’t disappoint me now.
Thank you.
Regards
ChesterP.S. My friend Yuga can help you get in touch with me. I have decided to clarify the matter with you since my previous experiences with Singtel’s customer service were horrible. And it’s the Globe subscribers that are getting affected really.
I have several Globe Kababayan SIM cards with me here given by Globe before. They come in pairs — one for the OFW and the other for their relatives or love ones in the Philippines. The Kababayan SIM card promises cheaper international SMS rates compared to standard roaming rates by most telcos.
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So, that explains why my wife complained about her globe bill was way over of what she usually pay. Hmmm. I think I’ll go buy a Smart partner Sim here.
i also have the same concerns as chester. there has been no real clarification with regards to this. there was also a time when my girlfriend was charged the international text rate even before the announcement was made.
Response from Globe:
Dear Chester,
Good day!
Your concern was endorsed to us for handling. Please allow us to address your queries accordingly. We would like to apologize for the misinformation relayed to you by one of our customer service representative regarding the Globe Kababayan sim. As you know the Globe’s promo that charges Php 1.00 per text message sent to Singtel subscribers ended last March 17, 2008. Please provide us the handyphone number you used when you called our Customer Service hotline. This is to verify the information relayed to you by one of our customer service representative. Also this will ensure that we render proper coaching for the Customer Service representative who handled your inquiry.
We would like to thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please be advised that have done necessary corrections to our website. However, for Globe postpaid subscribers please wait for further announcements regarding the promos concerning Singtel.
Should you need further clarifications please feel free to reach us through this medium.
Thank you very much for your continued patronage of Globe.
Respectfully,
Divi Vocal
Globe Customer Service
Hi Ches! Good to hear you got a fast response from them.
I still feel Globe has the best Customer Service in terms of handyphone and broadband…
I hope this issue is resolved, I have to tell a lot of relatives about this… Thanks!
curiously, the reply to chester didn’t indicate why they are now charging P 15 per text from a Globe phone in the Philippines to a Globe Kababayan user in Singapore. hmmm?
parang walang nalinaw ah
Thanks Yuga for helping me reach them. It just goes to show how big your influence in the industry is.
I am not concerned about the costs I personally incurred but I was embarrased towards those whom I assured that it is still ok to text Globe Kababayan users in Singapore.
I am also concerned about unsuspecting users getting hit similarly. Particularly those with postpaid accounts who are in for a big surprise when they see their next bill.
They should also have sent the announcement to Globe Kababayan users since they are the ones who can inform their loved ones about the changes. In fact, it is more efficient to inform 10,000 plus(?) Globe Kababayan subscribers in Singapore as opposed to informing the entire Philippine Globe population of whom only a small percentage send texts to Globe Kababayan users.
Just an update. Globe has not failed me yet.
From: Globe Telecom Customer Service [mailto:custhelp@globetel.com.ph]
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 12:14 PM
Dear Chester,
Greetings.
We wish to apologize for the length of time it took for us to respond. We have retrieved the call you made through our hotline. We have verified your claim as well. In line with this we wish to inform you that you we have already processed the adjustment for the handyphone number xxxxxxx which you used. Kindly expect the adjustments to reflect in the next billing statement. Please accept our apologies the inconvenience that this has brought you. Rest assured that we have called the attention of the people involved. Trust that we would ensure proper coaching for our customer service representatives to avoid such incidents in the future.
Again our apologies and thank you for your continued patronage of Globe.
Respectfully,
Divi Vocal
Globe Customer Service
hey guys! i have been calling globe’s customer service hotline and everytime i get a different sms rate!!! its crazy and i’m getting upset at how inefficient they can be.
does anyone know how much it really costs for globe postpaid subscribers to my friend in singapore who uses the kababayan sim card?
any reply will be greatly appreciated!
thank you in advance.
STILL, PLS EXPLAIN WHY GLOBE IS CHARGING 15 PESOS FOR A PH TEXTER TO A KABABAYAN SIM IN SINGAPORE, ALSO IF I BROUGHT K SIM IN USA HOW MUCH IS THE CHARGES TEXTING A KSIM IN PH ?
I think this is because the kababayan sims in Singapore are Singtel prepaid cards (our cellphone numbers are Singapore numbers). We were based in Singapore until recently and was using a kababayan sim from singtel. Singtel kababayan users were not informed of the changes in the text charges, I had to hear from my family in Manila that they received that texts to singtel/globe kababayan sim will be charged P15/text instead of the P1/text before. After checking the globe website I had to inform my family and friends that if they wanted to text me they would have to bulk buy prepaid credits (ITXT) specifically for texting me. And I don’t think that a lot of people would bother to bulk buy a prepaid credit just to text one or two persons.
I have an existing old plan with one dependent on my plan and i would like to discontinue the plan. I dont know if this is the right space for my request since i cannot find any links in the globe customer service space. my existing number is 09175010950.
I am out of the country and am using a different network already and is costing mo so much to use my roaming. I hope globe service center can easily help me, since my wife told me that the globe service center needs a request coming from the globe subscriber. I have already satisfied the more than 2 years requirement for the paid plan.
thank you
dong
why is it that they can provide cheap text plans to prepaid subcribers and not to postpaid ones?
HI to anybody who is working in globe company. I just arrived last week here in Sydney Australia. One day before departure me and my husband decided to purchase an OFW sim card and loaded it P500. The other 2 sims was given to my relatives in the PHils. It so happen that the two sim was not able to insert. I noticed that my sim dont have signal here in Syndey. My 2 relatives just decided to insert the sim maybe 3 to 4 days after it. Up to now we cannot used the sim because my cell dont have yet a signal. what are the right procedures so that we can still used the OFW sim? how many days is the activation? what can I do to have my cell a signal? I hope someone can help me
I’m having a hard time checking my balance on my phone i have OFW sim card and i couldn’t check m balance, I was at philippines i can check it when i get here at taipei i cant check it anymore..
I also had the same problem, but with smart sim…because im so frustrated i bought the globe ofw sim pack for my husband, i remember to read something in globe’s OFW sim guide that after a while you need to extend the roaming service, im not sure if after sixty days or so.. if you are still out of the country and want to continue using their promo offers, I am quite sure about it. I even discuss it with my husband..and he said ” ganun din siguro ung sa smart…siguro ni reregister ulit ung sim, di na na register ulit ni ate ung sim nya kay nachacharge na tyo ng 20pesos per 160 charac. sms”. You can try to confirm this with globe..i really like to quote the exact words i read at the OFW sim guide but i already gave it to my husband who is now abroad…i hope i could give a little clarification with your concern…but still you may want to confirm it with globe telco.
I have the same agonizing hellhole experience with this OFW SIM SCAM (sorry, pero I really believe it is a scam).
Ambilis-bilis maglaho ng load. tapos iba-iba ang procedures ng pag-register at pag-top ng load at pag-ON ng roaming depending on whether you are reading the brochure, the website or a retailer na ang habol lang ay bentahan ka — Yes siya nang yes sa lahat ng tanong mo.
I spent more than 35 thousand pesos worth of load, bagong SIM, bagong phone (di raw kasi triband yadda yadda yadda) para lang maka-avail no’ng 1 peso per text. Nong una umubra, tapos no’ng magtagal di ko na magamit OFW SIM ko to text back. Wag nyo na itanong kung puwede ko siyang gamitin para itawag. I still have to use my Singtel iPhone to make calls.
I sought the help of their retailers here in Singapore. . . kahit isa walang sumagot. Yong isa sumagot kasi tinawagan ko pero ang sabi tumawag na lang ako mamaya, No’ng tumawag ako naka-off na ang phone niya. Iyong isa naman in-email ko. Nagbounce back. Wala raw gano’ng email account. Sa sobrang desperado ko dahil sa laki ng nagastos ko dumiretso ako sa Lucky Plaza, inisa-isa ko lahat ng shops. Kahit isa walang nakatulong sa mga tanong ko. Wala raw silang alam. But all of them offered to sell me a SIM Pack na mas effective raw. I bought them all. . . and still in limbo pa rin yong 1 peso per text na habol ko. lalo siyang gumulo. Nabubiwisit na sa akin ang mga kaibigan ko dahil paiba-iba number ko.
I am sure there are procedures to get me back to 1 peso per text pero sa isang hardworking OFW masyadong kapritso na ang dating para pagkaabalahan kung paano. Andami-daming procedures, sali-saliwa. Paiba-iba sila ng terms and regulations (which I really believe depends on the alignment of the stars at any given time of the day).
I have decided to shred all my GLOBE SIM into oblivion. I’ll stick na lang to my SINGTEL account kahit medyo mahal. Ayokong sumakit angulo ko. The very greedy and insensitive TELCOM companies should realize if they keep on going on with their ravenous and scamming ways, a new technology will emerge to challenege the status quo and they will end up like PLDT — a big chunk of a dinosaur of a has-been.
Halata bang galit ako?
Ayoko na! Sagupain ang mga ganid na TELCOMs.
anak ng tinapa tong ofw sim! kala ko makakatipid na ako.kababalik ko lang dito sa states at kinabit ko yung globe ofw sim. alam ko meron akong P500 na load. nakapag text ako dun sa paired ofw sim na iniwan ko mga 7 times within the same hour. tapos sa pang walo “Requested facility no subscribed” na..ano ba to me limit? btw TMobile ang lumalabas na signal sa phone ko…
hi..
i have a GLOBE OFW SIM which i bought when i was in philippines..when i arrive here at UK,i was’nt able to use it now..
i just wanna ask if,why is that,i can’t make a call or even text?? but i can still recieve texts..
is there anything you can suggest so that i’ll be able to use it??
thanks..
am looking forward to your response..
To boyong and the rest, well i’ve been using Ofw sim since last year, well ganito kung bakit di nagwowork ang mga sims nyo, first un unang release nang ofw sim pack (ung dalawa ang sim.) Before you leave the country you must register so you have to load 300 to activate it by using the procedure given in the instruction or call hotline. Leave the other sim for you love ones. Either they must use it or not, this must be activated 24 hours prior departure kasi maactivate un after 24 hours eh kung don ka sa airport nagactivate pagpunta mo dito wala ka nang signal di na sya maactivate..this happen to me nong umalis ako dalawa pang sim, kay bad trip nagpadala na lang ulit ako..
Now, they release the new package which is preactivated already which you only need to buy it and ready to go, this is how i understand since my friend brought her globe pack sim and she didn’t even load activated na nong nasa states na sya.
At saka ang mechanism non don’t expect na ikaw (from u.s if you will reply back to your love one using ur ofw sim don’t expect na piso ang babayaran mo, 15 pesos kasi ang send mo will go ur network then to globe kaya ganun, pero ung love one mo, it will go to globe then to the partner network kaya piso lng sila. sila ang may bintahi hindi ikaw, (nasa states ka nga o ibang bansa of course alam nila may pera ka.hehehe). so the best way to do that is using chikka.com since i Globe have partner with chikka u can text for 30txts in a day, parang receiving na lang yang ofw sim mo, but if you have the money you can load 500 to text u divide it by 15 thats how many text u can give.
ngayon ang problema ko naman ngayon bat ako nakapunta dito sa sight. well sabi nang globe you don’t have to reload, O.O nga tama, hindi ako nagrereload, but sometimes i let them load me at least 20 pesos to make it active. but it didn’t say that it will EXPIRE. ayon ang catch, sabi anila may senend sila sa akin na notice na mageexpire, ang nareceive ko naman ay “magreload nang at least 15 para may 5 free texts ka after 2 days marereceive mo ang award.. iba ang advertisement sa notice diba kababayan? dapat sabi don reload in 15 days so your sim won’t expire.ganun.. ngayon problema ko ngayon i have to wait 14 days loloadan nanaman nila nang 100, call the customer service saka nila activate.. that’s a lot of days to wait..
Tmobile, at&t, cingular o watever telecos ang magshowshow up hindi globe kasi nekipartner ang globe (response to boyong)
anyway good service all in all hoping lang na dapat din at least 2 pesos ang text nang ofw to pinas para piso difference lng.hehe!agree?
why is that when family sim called me ,my load eat them up.?and do ofw sim also get unlitd txt or other promos??
Dear Subscribers,
On behalf of Customer Service Rep of Globe, we do apologize for the inconvince. For more information, you may reach us by dialling 211 using you globe handy phone number. your inquiry will all be answered by our efficient CSR. for IYA’s question, OFW sim is temporarily barred to use any VAS as well as promos such as unlitxt and other local call and txt promo. In addition, Globe Kababayan (OFW SIM), has in-comming and out-going charges, meaning even you didnt initiated the call, you will be charged according to the rates of country you are in. For lost load concerns, be assured that all deductions done to your credit is valid.
Customer Service Representative
ahm..hey..i just bought an OFW sim card but i don’t know how to load a 300peso on it..please help me..email me at cj_2595@yahoo.com..tnx
whoa. i keep activating my brother’s ofw sim but globe keeps replying that i’ve cancelled it. so weird of them. help guys?! how do i activate my brother’s ofw sim??
i cant load the 300 pesos card on my OFW sim..??>!!!!!!!!!anyone knows..????when i call the reload it always say ..toooot tooooot toooot…:D
Global OFW’s mission is to help millions of Overseas Filipino Workers around the world by providing them the tools to help them lead better lives. The tools in this website can help the Overseas Filipino Worker save thousands of dollars and help them ease the pain of being apart from their families and their loved ones. Check it out and help our OFW’s
hi globe ng ex expire ba ang globe
kasi my ngtxt skn na globe alert na mang exexpire na dw ng 48 hours??
bkt ganun?
pls respone
pls globe respone nmn ,,
bkt ganun ,, sbi ng globe alert skin mang exexpire na dw ofwsim card ku.. ee ung tito ku 2yrs na xng gumgmit nd nmn bkt aku gnun,,
we bought an OFW sim pack. It was being used when one day the it can not be used because the roam has been disabled for whatever reason.
how to reactivate the roaming feature of the OFW sim considering that it was bought because of its roaming features.
thanks.
GLOBE TELECOM SERVICES IS NO GOOD ANYWHERE IN MIDDLE EAST, PARATING NAWAWALA ANG SIGNAL AT KUNG MINSAN WLA TALGA SIGNAL… ITO PA ANG MALALALA, KUNG TATAWAGAN K FROM PINAS MABABAWASA PA LOAD MO AT THE SAME TIME PATI SA CALLER..
GLOBE KABAYAN SIM CARD IS USELESS….
my mother bought a kababayan sim there in singapore and then the charges is 15/text…she is also experiencing a deduction even though we r d one who is calling..right now she can’t reply to our texts because she don’t have load..is the load really ranges to $28?!can I, here at Philippines give her a load?!kindly email me your answers..thank u..