A reader sent an email last night asking why Smart Bro’s Fixed Wireless Plan 999 has been downgraded to just 1Mbps from 2Mbps starting June 1, 2011. So I double-checked and compared the page using Google Cache and here’s what I got.
This cached page was from May 30, 2011. By today, you can see that the page has been edited to reflect the speed downgrade.
Hello Mr. YugaTech.
I recently checked out SmartBro’s Canopy page (http://smart.com.ph/bro/products/homebroa-dband.htm).
I learned that effective June 1, 2011, the advertised “Up to” speed has been decreased to 1Mbps (formerly upgraded to 2Mbps).
No wonder our connection has somewhat experienced a slowdown. This downgrade is quite disappointing since we will still pay PHP 999.
Perhaps Smart could at least decrease the MSF as well.
- Gregory G.
Frankly, I don’t really know why Smart would downgrade the speed of all fixed wireless subscribers (which I believe is already in the 500k+ in number) but here are several possible reasons I could think of.
- Over-capacity. Smart can no longer support the demand for bandwidth for all its fixed wireless subscribers. So instead of upgrading their network bandwidth to accommodate new subscribers, they can simply and easily just cut the allocation in half.
- Subscription Plan re-alignment. Smart is also offering WiMax at 1Mbps for Php999. Smart Bro’s Plan 999 used to be 2Mbps so to make it “fair” across the board, they’ve also made it 1Mbps. This will prevent Smart Bro Fixed Wireless from eating into the market of Smart WiMax.
- Budget re-alignment. Smart is already pushing their next-generation LTE network, Smart Evolution, so it’s possible majority of their 2011 budget is allocated for the roll-out and very small or none is left for Smart Bro.
We can speculate all we want but unless we ask Smart, we won’t know the real answer (go try calling their CSR). I’m shooting an email to a friend who’s now with Smart Public Affairs and see if he can get us an answer.
Here’s my take — if you’re Smart Bro is currently giving you somewhere between 500Kbps to 1Mbps from the old 2Mbps max speed, I don’t think it really matters if the new max speed is just 1Mbps. You still get the same usual speed anyway. This will only be felt by a few who are consistently getting the full or near full 2Mbps limit.
ang smartbro nga naman. they put meaning in the word “disappointing”. tsk tsk tsk. they’re no better than Globe Tattoo now! To sun broadband it is!!!
Twitter: macooliit
says:
sheeshhh,, yesterday I had no Internet connection, SMARTBROken saying there IS a system maintenance on the base station where I connect. Now that there is connection, I cant reach 2mbps anymore, was the system maintenance for downgrade? anyone experience this?
Nakaka Frustrate itong Bagong Pakulo Ng Smart
OLD Subs = 2 Mbps
NEW Subs = 1 Mbps (as of hune pa daw)
sa pamunuan po ng smart if nababasa nyo man ito
nararapat lang na gawin nyo ring 2Mbps ang new subs nyo…
parehong PERA lang po ang binabayad namin…
at hindi naman “PAUNAHAN” ito!
yung mga ILEGGAL users nga naka 2 Mbps Speed
Kami 1 Mbps Lang?
napaka unfair at hindi pinagisipan na plano
if mag downgrade pala kaya bakit di na lang sa lahat ng SUBS? tutal na enjoy na nila eh dba?
or Upgrade Nyo Bulok Nyong Mga Facilities!!!
–Galit Na Bagong Subscriber
tanong ko lang po
UNLI PO BA TALAGA ANG SMART WIMAX?
tnx po sa sasagot
fake
bulok talaga, neto lang sat dec 10 nagkaroon ng technical enhancement kuno take note “enhancement”
nga ba? after nun i try downloading the same file im currently downloading I have a 2mbps plan before kasi I get 180kBp/s pa pag nag da download nung after mag karon ng technical enhancement kuno e di na ko nakaka experience ng mas mataas pa sa 80kBps na downloading kahit I get 1000seeds and peers.
Pati yung nag subscribe sa 2mbps plan na downgrade din dapat yan payagan nilang ipa disconect ang plan na yan ng mga hindi na happy na customer nila nakakadala itong smart broken talaga. Palaging intermittent connection tapos bagal bagal pa. bago pa lang akong subscriber wala pang 1 year naka lockin pa ako ng 2 years kaya naman lugi ka talaga wag kayong kumuha ng smart magsisisi lang kayo. Trust me been there done that, at pag may technical enhancement wala ring hotline wala kayong matatawagan para mapsgtanungan ungas talaga smart…smart ba. sana ma bankcrupt kayo.
happy new year 2012 na…
ay bulok talaga smart inaantay ko na lang matapos tong lock in period ko papakabit na ko ng PLDT line kasi nagkaron na dito sa lugar namin, wala kasing magandamng ISP sa pinas, nung nasa ibang bansa ako di ko naranasan yang slow at intermittent connection 30MBps ba naman residential plan san ka pa, hay can’t wait to disconnect my smart plan, guess that’s the smartest way.
wag nyo kasi kurakutin ang pera
na ibinabayad sa nyo
ipambili nyo ng magandang facilities
para naman hindi masira ang pangalan nyo.
Binago nyo pa ang LOGO at website nyo bulok
pa din naman ang serbisyo nyo.
Switch na tayo ISP araw araw nalang Limited/No connection plan 999 wala pa naman ako namiss na bill ahh + kung me Connection man bagal approximately 3mins loading ng FB page ano ba to?
oo nga ang aga aga ko nag nagbabayad ni misan di ko namiss ang billing monthly di kayo nagkakaproblema sa akin as a subscriber pero bakit ako problemadong problemado sa serbisyo nyo napaka bagal lalo na pag nag start ang 3pm ng hapon hang 10pm gabi mababa pa sa 384kbps plan ang speed ko, e 2mbps naman ang inaplayan ko dapat ayusin nyo yang speed nyo sa base station nyo di nyo naman pwedeng idahilan na madami kasing gumagamit sa oras na yon kaya nag aagawan ng bandwith, ano ganun na lang yun? di ata tama yun dapat kung alam nyong madaming gumagamit sa oras na yun edi upgrade nyo yung speed sa isang particular base station na congested na, lam nyo ng congested di dapat inaayos nyo yan. Napapanganga na lang ako sa sagot ng techsupot, so kasalanan pa ng subscriber dahil nag iinternet sila kaya bumabagal?
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
PUTANG NANG SMART BROKEN YAN ANG BAGAL!!!
FEB 18 2012.
pag una lang ata mabilis ang SMART BRO ihh..posang ama kau
gusto e plan ang akin smrt bro
kaya kung ako sa inyo wag na kayo magpakabit ng smart o bumili ng kahit anong produkto nila dahil pagsisisihan nyo lng, wag na kayo pabiktima sa scam ng smart na yan dahil pera lang naman ang kukunin nila satin pero wala tayong magandang serbisyon makukuha sa kanila dahil BULOK na BULOK na sila noon pa hindi na magbabago yan.
Wow! Nasabe na nila lahat ng pwede ko sabihin.
Totoo lahat ng sinasabi nila guys maniwala kayo.
Na experience ko kasi lahat ng complain nila.
Frustrating talaga smart.
WOW! I couldn’t agree more:
[IMG]http://www.speedtest.net/result/2017043293.png[/IMG]
Currently planning to terminate their service.
And planning to subscribe to other ISP
Extremely Poor Customer Service!
Our place (Zambales) is extremely suffering slow internet connection from SmartBro. I don’t know what happened. The very first time we have internet with smart, we were so amazed of the consistency… But now, it’s getting too slow! Wrong timing ang new commercial nila: “SLOW INTERNET CONNECTION?” Tama! That’s what SMART can offer you right now! “LIVE MORE?” Suck! you can’t live that more… If theres only other alternative, then i will switch without second thought!
hanggang advertising lang ba kayo? walang kwenta connection nyo parang globe rin na palpak sa una lang mabilis pero habang tumatagal lalong bumabagal.. palpak talaga. . . hindi maka abot manlang ng 30 kbps ang download speed at tapos tuwing mag open ng page ang bagal. . hindi pa minsan mabuksan . . mas mabilis pa yata ang broadband nyo kesa direct connection. . .gawan nyo naman ng paraan. .plan 999 ba talaga 2 parang gprs sa cp ang speed connect nyo……
ang baagggaaaalllll…….
kaya nga pala SMART ang pangalan, pakabig ang laban…alam kasing no choice si Juan kaya ganyan..Naluko na naman si Juan….tsk, tsk, tsk…????!!!!???
I read this paragraph completely on the topic of the comparison of latest and earlier technologies,
it’s awesome article.
ive been a subscriber for 6 years. yeah i got a big discount for it. akala ko sa pag lipat ng bahay kaya nag slow yung speed yun pal abinawasan talaga