5G connectivity is yet to be widely available in the Philippines but 5G-ready SIM cards from Smart are already being sold online.
Spotted by HungryGeeks.ph, the Smart 5G-ready SIM cards are sold online via the Facebook Marketplace and Shopee. It features a triple cut design like current 4G LTE SIM cards and offers 1GB of data upon activation. The packaging also recommends using it on a 5G-enabled smartphone.
Although the packaging shows a PHP 40 SRP, listings show varying price tags ranging from PHP 250 to PHP 999 for SIM cards with special numbers that are easy to remember.
The said 5G-read SIM cards are yet to appear on Smart’s website, so we reached out to them to confirm its existence. We’ll report the information as soon as we receive it. For now, it’s advisable to avoid purchasing these SIM cards until it’s officially offered by Smart themselves.
UPDATE (January 20, 2020, 3:50 PM): Smart has sent us a statement regarding the 5G-ready SIM cards that are appearing online. You can read it below:
Actually, we started to deploy 4G SIMs that are 5G-ready last year. What’s new is the packaging. We will soon provide people a simple test to find out if your 4G SIM is 5G ready. Future-proofing our SIMs is part of our step by step preparations for the launch of 5G later this year. This is aligned with preparations being done for rolling out 5G in our network as well as for making 5G handsets and devices that are certified for use in the Smart network available for customers interested in moving up to 5G.
— Ramon “Mon” Isberto, public affairs head of PLDT and SMART
I bought my 5G Ready SIM at Robinson. When I tried to activate it and purchase load, it would not. I went to the SMART Dealer I asked to please load my new SIM. They said it cannot be activated or loaded as the technology is not yet in place with SMART Communications. I told them I want a refund! They said I must go back to Robinson and request a refund. Robinson said they cannot issue a refund because the package was already opened! What a game! And once again, the people lose to big, heartless corporations like SMART. Once again the UNETHICAL BUSINESS TRICKS of SMART PREVAIL. (SMART = Satan Makes Another Ruthless Trick)