I’ve been on prepaid since I got a mobile phone ten years ago. The only time I was convince to get into a postpaid plan was when I got an iPhone 3G subscription plan from Globe. And for the last 12 months, I thought it was well worth it.
Not until this month when I got my last bill. I’m subscribed on the basic iPhone Plan 1599 and ever since I had it, I never once exceeded my monthly allocation. I don’t text a lot or make calls (and I have 2 other active prepaid numbers) and despite being a heavy mobile internet user, I still am not able to consume all the 40 hours a month allocation (mainly because I got wifi at home and have both SmartBro and Globe Tattoo accounts).
So it was a huge surprise to learn that last month, my bill went beyond Php6,000 (there’s another Php3,700 spill-over internet charges for this month). During that time, I actually monitor my account getting charged about Php400 every day. So I reported it, made screenshots, documented and asked some clarifications. I got a lot of possible answers:
- Push Email was set to ON and the iPhone could be connecting to 3G all the time. In the last 12 months of having GMail and Yahoo on my iPhone, I never set it to ON and it’s OFF until now. Fetch is also set to OFF/Manual.
- iPhone Apps that connect to the net in the background. Been regularly downloading new apps (including Yahoo Messenger, TruPhone and Skype). I thought no iPhone Apps can run in the background? Apple specifically disabled this feature as it hogs resources, battery life and slows down performance. I don’t think there’s an app that runs on the background. To be sure, I restarted/rebooted the iPhone several times during the day.
- iPhone OS 3.0 reset some settings/configurations. However, I did the upgrade in June so I should have experienced this problem much earlier.
The timing is also suspicious as at least 2 other friends on an iPhone plan have racked up Php17,000 and Php20,000 on their bills this same month. I’ve already filed a dispute/report and so have my other friends.
This isn’t the first time this type of incident has happened. I’ve actually helped a couple of people (both on iPhone and Nokia phones) resolve their sky-high 3G internet charges before.
The quick-fix — disable the APN. That way, the iPhone won’t be able to connect even if it tried to.
It’s irritating though that I need to edit my APN every time I want to connect online. It ruins the experience. Now, I’m always afraid to use my iPhone to connect online. If that’s the case, the iPhone looks crippled — might as well ditch it. Apple needs to look into this.
My only gripe si that I only have a Php2,500 credit limit. I assume that when I reach that amount/charge before end of the month, my account gets suspended, which it should be. So, I wonder why my fees go way beyond Php2,500.
My solution?
- Switch to Globe Prepaid. But that doesn’t solve the problem that my credits/load could get drained overnight.
- Jailbreak the iPhone and use my other existing Smart Prepaid SIM.
- Sell the iPhone 3G and get an openline HTC Magic or Nokia E72 for my Globe subscription.
But before that, I need to settle my unpaid and long-overdue bills first. :D
My solution here to this is to jailbreak the iPhone and use Smart Gold, Smart Buddy, or red mobile. I’ve never had billing issues with my internet services with Smart. Of course, Smart’s internet service is way way ahead of the others. Smart’s HSPA (3.5G) service makes use of the 850 MHZ bandwidth (the only network in the PH that uses 850), which is stronger than the regular 1800/1900/2100 UMTS bandwidth.
For those having issues with Smart Bro, lock your bandwidth to 850 MHZ. You’ll see the difference.
The bills seem to be unreasonable. I’m just wondering how the bills can reach up to 150K.
I computed:
A month would have 30/31 days. Let’s assume 30 days for this example. There are 24 hours in a day.
30 days x 24 hours = 720 hours in a month. Mobile internet costs P10/30 mins. There is 1440 30-min blocks in a month of 30 days.
So, assuming that you have your iPhone online 24/7, the maximum internet charge would be P14,400. That assumes that you are using your iPhone 24/7, without sleeping, eating, and doing other stuff.
As a point of truth also, I took some liberties on the “duh” word. It’s just not nice to imply nor call people “stupid” or “dumb”. Stretching the truth further, I advised my students against it, and it hasn’t ever been heard in my sessions.
For all it’s worth, my apologies too.
@nanayMo
To tell you the truth my first post wasn’t exactly addressed to you. Maybe I just used the wrong choice of words when I said “the rest of the comments” because I was looking at one post reading downwards. For that I apologize. But you know what they say regarding stones and heaven…
=)
Anyway, I forgot to point out too that some apps have also updated after firmware update 3.0 that might be the culprit. Say you have yahoo messenger installed. If you’ve updated this app to it’s current version, it now supports push which utilizes data connection on the background. This is just one example of the many additional features when you update your apps (which may result in additional expenses on your part).
Hope everything goes well with Abe and Globe.
JAILBREAK IT MAN…
use redsn0w…
whahaha…
iPhone Postpaid subscription is really not worth it.
@myth:
Your recent post is an improvement. Did I miss the usual vocabulary? You know, all the identity issues. Sudden shift of personality?
Oh, I missed the “duh” – the sweeping remark that we are a stupid lot. Pity, pity!
FYI guys, Ive been using this iPhone on a G-Flex plan for almost a year. Recently, I subscribed to their mobile data add-up plan so that I can further use my phone to connect to the internet whenever I’m away from pc access or any wi-fi zone. For almost a year, I have managed to maintain my bill within its range. Yes I play ad-free games on it. I browse sites such as this on it. I use e-mail whenever necessary (I just turn off my account whenever I don’t need to use it, I can always turn it back on with just a few touch). If I’m doubtful that an app connects to the internet on the background then I connect to the internet via wi-fi first. I turn off any fetching, push notification and location gathering services all the time unless it’s needed. AND aside from checking the Cellular Network Data counter on the settings menu, I regularly check my unbilled charges (also a good way to check if a currently installed application might be using data connection on the background). It may seem to be a hassle at first but after a few days of checking and everything’s going fine, and if I’m not changing any settings or adding up any applications, then I don’t bother doing all those things anymore especially when I’m busy.
Now if you’re really sure that there’s no other reason for a sudden rise on your bill and dismissing any form of neglect on your part (learning how all these things work), then it’s time for you to complain and file a dispute/report like what Abe did. Everything is susceptible to glitch.
Duh! We’re not saying we’re smarter than anybody else here nor are we so overly fixated with this phone that we flamboyantly express how expensive this phone is (there are other phones that are as expensive). Yung iba kasi pag may iPhone ka, tingin sa iyo mayabang na kahit di mo naman fina-flaunt sa kanila at ginagamit mo lang naman ito for its purpose.
All I’m saying is that you have to be responsible for your actions. If you were ignorant at first on using this phone and acquired charges, then quit blaming the moon and the stars for what you did. Download ka pala ng download ng kung anu-ano e naka-MB-based pala ang data plan mo, sinong sisihin mo? Laro ka pala ng laro ng games na nagcoconnect sa internet tapos pag dating ng bill mo magrereklamo ka na ang laki ng internet charges mo. Learn how to use things first and learn how it works before using it extensively. And if you were unfortunate to be ignorant at first, then I hope you’ve learned your lesson and not do it again.
a few thousand pesos haven’t make any body smarter. sweeping remarks on people as dumb or stupid is really shallow. don’t quantify a person’s worth to the limit of her/his wallet, nor her/his preferences on whatever contraption. it’s as if this iphone thing costs millions, or could you make one any smarter than s/he actually is!
grow up, people!
C’mon folks, let’s put and end to all these name calling. If we’re really as smart as we think we are, objectivity is much needed here. An electronic device is just what it is – a device. It doesn’t confer anything substantial to people save that they can well afford to purchase it.
Which is good, and we don’t begrudge them for that.
But no one should be called stupid, either.
Peace.
@thinkGuy
did I? :D
The REST OF THE COMMENTS had become ridiculous!!!
First of all, IGNORANCE for using your iPhone and your plan is not an excuse! If you’re really concerned about your budget and your usage, you should’ve taken necessary steps (like know what you’re getting into first and watch out for your unbilled charges) before using your phone and your plan! Know your phone and know your plan!!!
Second, blaming others on your stupidity is absurd!!! Blame iPhone, blame Globe, blah blah… right! You have no one else to blame but yourself because of your stupidity for using your phone and your plan unwittingly like there’s no tomorrow.
Why do you think there are still people who enjoy using their iPhone on their plan? Because they know HOW to use them and HOW it works!
Guess some poeple here are right, iPhone is not for dumb people!!!
I was an early subscriber of Globe Visibility with the unlimited data plan. When I got my iPhone 3G, I put in my Visibility sim into it with everything turned on, push email, 3g, etc. Only problem is, the regular telephony charges are at prepaid rates. No free voice minutes or text. I’m using another Gplus account with an old, but well-loved feature phone… which is threatening to conk out anytime. I WAS planing to convert the Gplus account to an iPhone plan when it did conk out, switch the sim, then put my Visibility sim back into the dongle. Now, I’m not so sure, based on all your accounts. Having the unlimited Visibility really gives justice to the iPhone experience, so its sad to see so many people here so p1$$3d. IMHO, its Globe’s fault for not streamlining the iPhone plans to give the subscriber a more cost-effective solution, without sacrificing the experience.
Globe browsing is free.. FBT is still working im using it on my OPENLINE Globe tatooo…. Why pay if its free.
uy suerte pa pala ako 7K pa lang ang outstanding bill ko…hehehe
Customer Service from Globe called me that my bill in my iPhone Plan 3999 is 150,000++pesos. She asked me if she would disconnect my line or continue using it. I’d never paid that bill.
I inserted my Globe iPhone Plan SIM in my Globe Tattoo and use it about 6 hours of internet. I download some stuff. I didnt know that iPhone Plan is fixed in KB charging not 10per 30mins.
After 2 days customer service called me and inform that my bill is 150,000++.
I dont know my credit limit but i think its around 5,000 to 10,000 because im in Plan 3999.
Credit limit doesnt work in Globe.
Go for iPod Touch…I read that they have dropped the price to $199…it should be no more than 10K here.
ammm…
di ko alam kung karma yan sa mga iphone users na mayayabang… oooppss… no punt ment. mabuti pa yung much reliable 3310 :P
sometimes simple living will not lead you to too much confusion :)
I once had this problem with my Omnia. What I did was to disable to 3G and switched to GSM (edge). So everytime i want to connect to internet, i just change my connection.
sell??!
ninong, lapit na pasko! regalo mo nalang sakin yan! hehehe!
pde din, bid namin spidey. lol!