Smart’s free LTE to end March 31, Php995 afterwards

When I applied for my new UnliData Plan this afternoon, I was told that access to the LTE network is free or unlimited until March 31, 2014 and I have to pay an extra Php995 afterwards to gain back access.

Interviewed the CSR a bit more to get details. The specific instruction was that after March 31, I need to switch my network settings from LTE to 3G. Otherwise, I will be automatically charged an extra fee. Otherwise, I just need to text and upgrade to the LTE 995 plan (text LTE 995 to 2200).

Just this afternoon, a reader also pointed out that in order to enjoy LTE beyond the supposed 1.5GB cap is to subscribe to LTE 995 on top of my plan. Since LTE 995 is a VAS (value added service) and VAS is exempted from the FUP, this promo is not covered by Smart’s Fair Use Policy.

All in all, I will only have to spend Php1,500 (UnliData Plan 1500) and Php995 (LTE 995) on a monthly basis to be sure. Free LTE wasn’t never promised as forever but at least now we know it will only cost Php995, nothing more.

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Avatar for Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

78 Responses

  1. Avatar for SkyWave SkyWave says:

    More info here:

    http://www.uplift.ph/Accessories

  2. Avatar for DC1777 DC1777 says:

    Switched to Smart’s Freedom plan, with the help of Smart’s CSR they changed my current limit from 600 (default for freedom plan) to 1600. This is so it could cover the LTE 995 and Trinet 400 subscription.

    with only 1395 monthly cost for UNLIMITED LTE and 500 min call it’s worth it. O di kaya 995 lang kasi naka-online naman lagi mga kausap ko kaya sulit na sulit..

  3. Avatar for Clarification Please Clarification Please says:

    So for example i am a prepaid user and i paid for LTE 995 – will i be charged against my airtime if i browse via 3G, HSDPA or HSPA?

    or if i am using UNLI 999, will i be charged if i browse via LTE?

  4. Avatar for 'em says:

    OK yung sa Smart. Get an All-In Plan. Ako, plan 1200. Nagenroll ako nung Trinet 400php tapos the rest sa LTE subscription. Ndi ko naman need na everyday naka LTE, so weekly or daily lang. Yun ang isang maganda sa Smart, may LTE na weekly or daily plans so sakto sa budget.

  5. Avatar for rodster rodster says:

    so is it better to get a prepaid LTE than subscribe to post paid LTE plans? I thought postpaid always gets better benefits.

  6. Avatar for Nico Nico says:

    I also recently applied for an “All in Plan 1800” and the CSR explained it to me differently. With the plan 995 you’ll be getting the 3gb cap for lte THEN it’ll switch to 3g until you used the 1.5gb THEN it’ll switch you to 2G. As for the current Unli data users she said that it will also have an amount of lte before it goes back to 3g but I didn’t ask how many gygabites there is. Hope this helps?

  7. Avatar for Tess pinga 2 Tess pinga 2 says:

    Thanks grey!

  8. Avatar for clarence clarence says:

    Hi all,
    I am planning to get a freedom plan, then will opt to have unlimited LTE 995 + call and text combo (mega 250), iniisip ko lang magiging subject ba ako for FUP?

  9. Avatar for Yusuf Yusuf says:

    What an ingrate. Clearly, you lack the education you wanted.

  10. Avatar for Yusuf Yusuf says:

    Much better, unlike Globe. Forever the shitty network.

  11. Avatar for WOOHOO WOOHOO says:

    What about prepaid users? I just bought an LTE sim and I can say that the internet speed is faster than the Smart Bro sim I used to have. If I subsribe to LTE 995 (currently subscribed to LTE 50), does it have capping as well? I’m confused.

    • Avatar for Yusuf Yusuf says:

      No reason to be confused. There are no data caps for prepaid subscribers, no matter what promo/subscription you are on.

  12. Avatar for Louie O. Louie O. says:

    Nothing’s official according to Carlo Ople of unbox. He asked Smart and they’re no such official announcement or whatsoever…

  13. Avatar for Jack Jack says:

    So it is possible to get a lower priced monthly plan instead of the unli data 1500, and then subscribe to LTE 995 on top of it, reducing monthly cost for internet? or is the LTE 995 only available on top of the unli data plan?

    • Avatar for Zer0 Zer0 says:

      Jack, LTE995 is available to all smart subscriber postpaid and prepaid however aside from postpaid All-in plans 1200 and above you can register and consume your allowable to LTE995. If you’re postpaid data plan 1500 or above subscriber LTE995 will be billed on top of your monthly data plan 1500. You can chexk smart website for flexibundles and you can try their plan simulator for you to find out if your data plan 1500 will be charge an additional 995 pesos if you register to LTE995.

  14. Avatar for LTE-free LTE-free says:

    ef this, I don’t need my minutes, can SMART can convert my minutes into LTE

    • Avatar for Zer0 Zer0 says:

      You can register to LTE 995. This service will charged you for P995.00. Just look for the appropriate service code or look for the flexibundles in smart website if your plan applicable for flexibundles to avoid additional charges…

    • Avatar for SunCell Subscriber SunCell Subscriber says:

      Just subscribe to Smart’s flexibundles and you can allocate 0 minutes and 995 to LTE.

  15. Avatar for lousy lousy says:

    sana magoffer ang Smart ng plan transfer similar to how credit card companies offer balance transfer. something like yung MySuperPlan 1799 ng globe to All-In Plan 1800. I’d bite right away and happily give up my useless Globe loyalty program plan to switch to Smart.

    I was promised “Unlimited LTE” when I renewed my plan, not “3GB LTE then Unlimited 2G” connection, so their reasoning that my plan is still unlimited since I’m still connected with 2G is not valid.

    • Avatar for Grey Grey says:

      CC companies can only transfer Visa to Visa, and Mastercard to Mastercard. There’s no 3rd party brand on networks, so it would be more difficult to form an agreement like that.

    • Avatar for lousy lousy says:

      it was just a thought anyway, I understand something like that would be near impossible for Smart and Globe to agree upon :)

      but seriously though, anybody have any information on the process of opting out of a Globe MySuperPlan? really wanting that Smart All-In plan as in now. lol

    • Avatar for Miongb Miongb says:

      You can preterminate, but you have to pay the pre termination fee, na masyadong malaki. Kaya either magpa bad record ko, or wait for your contract to end…

  16. Avatar for TESS PINGA 2 TESS PINGA 2 says:

    Re: lte 995, pag di available lte, 3g/2g lang di ba. In that case, will you be charged on top of 995? Thanks.

    • Avatar for Grey Grey says:

      Nope, LTE 995 covers all data signals from LTE to GPRS, so don’t worry about additional charges.

  17. Avatar for EJMNL EJMNL says:

    Just a piece of advice. Get a Smart All-In plan, and register to LTE 995 monthly. You’ll get better and ‘sulit’ call & text services against its counterpart with Globe, MySuperPlan 1799 (FUP-covered Unli data), + exemption from Smart LTE’s FUP.

    The only catch here is you’ll need to register manually to LTE 995 every month. I don’t think it would be a big burden to the subscribers. Besides, Smart will always remind you if your LTE 995’s registration is ending soon. You’ll then have time to turn-off your mobile data to avoid LTE regular rate charges.

    After, you can register again to LTE 995 for another month of unlimited LTE with exemption from Smart’s FUP. I think this is an ideal strategy.

    • Avatar for all in all in says:

      Im also subscribed to an all-in plan, but what if I register to LTE 995 and LTE signal goes down to 3G or 2G, will I be charged separately?

    • Avatar for all in all in says:

      By the way, to make your monthly registration automatic, e.g. for continuous UnliSurf, you may text GO SURF 999 to 7577

    • Avatar for Grey Grey says:

      You can enable auto renewal of LTE 995 by texting GO LTE 995 :) para wala ka nang iniisip every month.

    • Avatar for EJMNL EJMNL says:

      @all in: if you’re in LTE 995, you’ll still receive 2G/3G signals if you’re outside an LTE covered area.

  18. Avatar for z1 ba or z only z1 ba or z only says:

    Question lang po. Xperia z1 ba offered sa smart postpaid plan or xperia z lang sya?

  19. Avatar for Rygel Rygel says:

    Globe doesn’t have separate subscription for LTE. If you’re phone is LTE capable and you have an data subscription, it will use LTE > 3G > 2G when available.

    Smart meanwhile has separate subscription for LTE. So the unlidata bundle only uses 3G. While the LTE 995 uses LTE but will switch to 3G/2G if LTE is not available. Medyo unfair ang unlidata plans in this regard kasi you’ll have to pay an additional 995 to get LTE access. Compared to ALLIN plans where you just have to subscribe to LTE 995 and get both LTE and 3G access.

    As for the data caps… Both networks should stop promoting LTE if they plan to use the data caps on theirs LTE service kasi they’ve promoted how fast it is to stream videos and download stuff plus they’re even offering LTE enabled iPads. Tapos 1.5 – 3gb lang allowed use nila per month on LTE? Rediculous

    • Avatar for jammer jammer says:

      tama ka dyan, imagine downloading 1.5 g in less than one hour because u have very fast LTE connection, then u will be downgraded to 2G for the rest of the month. Useless ang mag subscribed sa LTE kung ganun. eh saan pa ung high speed connection nila?

  20. Avatar for Zer0 Zer0 says:

    Sir Abe, anong unli data ka nag subscribe 3G or LTE? anyway for me ung unli data ay hindi practical choice. Meron naman All in plans wherein you can choose diff services. 2 years ako naka unlidata (3G) 1500 plan and makukuha mo lang syempre unlidata (3G) plus 60 mins free call and 120 free SMS tapos may limit pa na 1.5 GB cup every month for mobile internet. Wherein sa All in Plans (for ex. 1800 where i’m currently subscribe) pwede ka mamili ng flexibundles na services na kailangan mo. like in my case i’m currently subscribe to the following:
    LTE 995 unlimited LTE for 30 days,

    Net Combo 400 (it includes 500 mins call to Smart / Sun / Talk n Text / Pldt landline plus 2,000 free text to ALL networks including globe and TM) for 30 days,

    All Net Talk 250 80mins call to Globe for 30 days.

    Ang plan ko is 1800 ang na consumed ko 995 + 400 + 250 = 1645 for 3 services tapos meron pa akong 155 na pwede iconsume…
    Right now 2.8 Gb na na consume ko gamit LTE connection ko and di pa na throttle down ang connection ko to 3g/2g. (tama nga sinabi mo na pag VAS exempted sa FUP)

    • Avatar for all in all in says:

      Im also subscribed to an all-in plan, but what if I register to LTE 995 and LTE signal goes down to 3G or 2G, will I be charged separately after March 31?

    • Avatar for Zer0 Zer0 says:

      No, It will not charged. LTE995 subscription already covers 4g/3g/2g connections…

    • Avatar for all in all in says:

      that is cool! thanks guys. Im glad I got my Smart all in postpaid. Sana hindi magbago ang policy hindi tulad ng Globe, i have been a loyal subscriber since 1999……………………. time to downgrade it to call and text nalang

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