Smart today announced a new data plan for postpaid subscribers, the Smart Limited-Edition Data Plan 1000. Although it’s just a limited-edition plan and is only offered until May 15, 2012, the new data plan compliments the existing Plan 2000 which comes with free choice of a flagship handset.
The current Smart Unli Data Plan 2000 comes with a choice of Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and HTC Sensation XE w/ Beats Audio for free. The monthly allocations for the plan is 200 SMS and 150 minutes of free voice calls to any network. It also comes with unlimited mobile internet.
Now comes the limited-edition Limited-Edition Data Plan 1000 which looks more attractive but has a caveat. First, let’s look at the basic offering and what services come free with the plan (lifted from TechLokal)
The Php1,000 monthly service fee comes with the following: 500 text messages to all networks; 500 voice minutes to Smart and Talk ‘N Text numbers; and 1GB worth of data.
You can then get any of these handsets with an additional monthly fee for 24 months:
Samsung Galaxy Note (+ Php900)
Samsung Galaxy Nexus (+ Php900)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 (+ Php800)
HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio (+ Php900)
HTC Evo 3D (+ Php900)
Nokia N9 (+ Php900)
BlackBerry Curve 9360 (+ Php800)
BlackBerry Bold 9790 (+ Php900)
BlackBerry Bold 9900 (+ Php1,300)
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray (+ Php500)
So while you’d pay Php2,000 a month for Unli Data 2000 and a free Galaxy Nexus, you also pay Php1,900 a month for the same under Unli Data Plan 1000. The Php100 difference can be attributed to the lower data cap and the voice calls within the Smart network and not on all networks.
In hindsight, there’s really not that much difference between Plan 1000 and Plan 2000. The good thing is, you now have more subsidized handsets to choose from.
Updated: Just corrected that the Plan 1000 is not Unli Data but Limited-Edition Data Plan.
Same experience. Got my Note within 2 weeks. The agent told me I got approved on the same day as my application but I had to wait because the phone was not yet on stock.
My application was process and approved the same day.
Processing and approval is fast, if you have an active credit card (with good credit standing) and a paid latest competitor’s bill with almost the same plan…
The problem is, the Smart Store where I applied doesn’t have stocks of the Note… so I have to wait… for a while :(
It’s been like less than 2 weeks :(
may nakapag-avail na ba nito? gaano ba katagal ang pag-process ng application?
Well, I did try to surpass 800 MB for Globe Postpaid and nothing happened… same speed.
But for Globe Prepaid, once I hit 800 MB, a text message will follow, including sudden disconnection of your 3G Session. X_X
I tried to fill up the application form for this Promo, and a sale rep from Smart immediately called me the next day. (Yesterday)
I will try to be present at my nominated Wireless center for this.
Wish me luck. Galaxy note :)
I inquired about the data plan and the 1GB is not unlimited. You have to monitor your usage or you’ll be charged with the standard P10/30min rate after you hit your 1GB limit.
I’m not sure if Globe even has data cap. I have an HTC mozart and used it as a hotspot.I subscribe to a mobile unlimited internet plan(999/month) and to be honest I used it solely as my internet connection for all my devices (LAPTOP, PS3, PLAYBOOK, IPOD TOUCH, IPAD) and I assure you I exceed that 800MB you mention most of the days. I torrent movies which most of the time exceeds 2-5 GB and my connection doesn’t slow down or get cut off.. still my plan is as it is :D
Check the fair-use policy. They start throttling your speed when you reach 1.5GB data which is bulls**t when their data speed feels like its throttled most of the day. Not to mention that that is such a low data cap. Globe has 800MB daily cap which gives you as much as 22GB per month. IMO, you shouldn’t be able to reach that cap in a month using your phone. They should have offered a 10GB data cap and shut down users who are using apps such as DroidVPN to get free data.
I checked their website again and it specifically stated that the data usage is UNLIMITED.
The name of the plan itself is Unlimited Data Plan, so I cant see why they would put a cap on it.
How to they implement the cap? How would you know if you are already exceeding the limit of this supposedly UNLIMITED plan?
Yuga, can we get an official statement from Smart about this?
Thanks
@clinton: yes, it slows down and it’s barely usable. At least for me.
Can we confirm how the cap is being implemented? does it slow down after you reach the cap amount?
What about all the restrictions to uni data on Smart? No streaming video (P15P/KB), no tethering, and a host of other restrictions. In recently shopping for a new plan, I find Smart is far behind Globe still.
I have an iPhone under Plan 2000 and I must say that the 1.5GB data cap is too small.. I wonder if here’s an option to increase it, to like 3 or 5gb perhaps..
Wow!
What I like there is that they amortized the units to 24 months, which I assume would go on top of your bill. That’s really convenient as it would free up some space on your credit card. :)
Hope Globe would offer something similar. They should know that not everyone’s a BPI CC holder. #bitter
Ayos nang-gago nanaman ang Smart! Unli dati nung nag subcribe ka pero may limit pala.
Parang SmartBro canopy lang, nung nangsubscribe ako upto 2mbps pero ngayon binaba nila sa 1mbps pero 999 per month parin binabayaran!!!
Nice offer, too bad it’s for a limited time. One thing puzzles me though, where’s the “Unli” in the Unli Data Plan 1000? If you read the offer, it only offers limited number of texts, call minutes and 1GB data per month. I think the “Unli” should be dropped if there’s no unlimited service being offered.
since when nagkaroon ng cap ang unlimited date? Doesnt the name itself meean that there is no limit to data usage?
I inquired about the plan 2000 a few months back and this was the expectation set by the sales people at smart. Since when did they put caps on the unlimited data plan?
Well i am a prepaid user. I think the problem here lies on the the lock in period. 24 month is a long time specially if you always change phone unit.
But if i were to choose between the two plan that smart offers, i would choose the 1k plan. More text and calls plus for data plan, it maybe lower gig per month, well not all the time u will be connected to ur data plan, there are free wifis around the metropolis right? :)
Plan 1000 has 500 text messages to all network compared to 200 text messages at Plan 2000? they should add the 200 text to all network.. make it 300 maybe
Me like it!