My Review of Globelines Broadband Budget Bundles, Smart Bro and PLDT MyDSL

Read my Current review as of May 2008

Six months ago, I subscribed to three (3) Philippine Internet Service Provider (ISP) namely, Globelines Broadband Budget Bundles, Smart Bro and PLDT MyDSL. At the time of installation, I believed it was not yet time to make a review. Give it six months, I said to myself. Since it’s been six months already, I think it is high time I make a review of my 3 ISP’s.

Take note, I am a paying subscriber located in Pasig City near the Marikina, Cainta, Quezon City area. I don’t believe in getting free subscription because I cannot demand the service I paid for. right? Anyway, here goes:

1. Smart Bro- 999 pesos for a 384 kpbs connection- installed March 2, 2007

This internet connection is located at Lauren’s computer. Installation was pretty fast with only 1 day waiting period. During the first four months, there were barely any connection problems. Slow speed started to occur sometime June. Calling the Smart Support (6727277) is torture. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour before you can get to talk to someone. They make you do all that PING, bandwidth testing on your PC before they call in the tech support to go to your place. I keep telling them that they have congested their cell sites. They replace the antenna thinking it’s defective. I complain it is a congestion problem. After a replacement of the antenna, the slow connection continued on especially starting at 6:00 PM .

SMART BRO’s dismal performance turned me into a “nasty” person and sometime August, I threatened to report them to the National Telecommunications Commission for non-existence of an internet connection. This was after waiting again on the phone for an hour. Fortunately, the nice technicians came. They are amazed that I am given support a day after my phone call. I kept thinking the SMART BRO tech people must have googled my name and found out I was a blogger. They changed my base station to a less congested base. I was optimistic this would work but no….slow connection still happened. I was more emphatic this time “If you can’t give me a stable internet connection, then just release me from the locked-in period”. In fairness to the tech guys, they did a great job the third time around. Since August, SMART Bro connection has been very stable.

Rating- 5/10 only because calling SMART BRO Support is torture and they tend to congest their base station. Though Support takes time to answer your calls, they give feedback in your cellphone regarding the progress of your report.

2. Globelines Broadband Budget Bundles - 1 MBPS with landline. The Globelines Broadband budget bundle costs only 1450 pesos a month (now at 1,250 pesos only)

The Globe Broadband connection is attached to Marielle’s desktop. The thing I like most about Globe Broadband is that their modem comes with a wi-fi router. My macbook uses this wi-fi connection. During the first few months, calling Globelines Support at 9198888 took at least 45 minutes. For the past 5 months now, I didn’t have to wait too long for tech support to pick up my queue. I have encountered 2 connection problems with them so far. The first one lasted for one day with no internet connection. My second problem with them was dropped wi-fi connection. I still get dropped wi-fi connection problems but I can live with it since it goes back up in less than a minute.

Rating 8/10 because their connection has been reliable. It could be better if wi-fi connection is more stable.

3. PLDT MyDSL 784 kbps and landline bundle at 1520 pesos a month.

Of all the 3 ISP’s, PLDT was the last to install. PLDT has dropped connections every 15 minutes or so. I called their Tech Support (171) and it took them a week to get a technician to our house. It was the landline tech personnel who made sure that there were no problems in the landline connection. After they assured me that all the lines were working well, I thought my DSL connection would be smooth. I was wrong. The dropped connections continue to this day. Upon calling PLDT support, they keep saying that they are working on it. I give up calling on them. Maybe because I have another reliable ISP to run to when their connection is not working.

Rating 4/10 because of the lousy PLDT myDSL connection. Support keeps saying they are working on it without giving feedback.

My suggestions to the Philippine Internet Service Providers:

1. Don’t assume that we don’t know anything about computers. Don’t say we have a virus when you don’t even know if I am using a mac or a PC. Just because I am a woman doesn’t mean I am clueless about computers. Don’t assume we are ignorant.

2. If you are going to have long queues in your Tech Support lines, consider using the SMS system that Destiny Cable (my old provider) uses. When there is a tech issue, I would just send a text message with my landline to their support. When they are free, they return my call. Works like a charm.

3. Stop using the byline line faster than dial-up when you promote your broadband ads . You can’t fool someone like me who has been using cable internet for 8 years now. Yes, you can fool the dialup users but how long can you fool them?

4. Stop congesting or overcrowding your servers. There is huge potential and an untapped market for internet users . You can still earn profitably as demand rises.

To all those who have asked me which is the better internet service provider among the 3, I can say it is Globelines Broadband because of the stable internet connectivity and prompt customer support. But remember, not all ISP’s are the same in any locality. I heard Globe Broaband is really bad in Cavite.

My ISP recommendation is based on my location which is Pasig City near Marikina, Cainta, Quezon City area.

In conclusion, in terms of the best to worst ISP based on stable internet connection and customer service reliablity, here it is:

1. Globe Broadband (best)
2. Smart Bro
3. PLDT MyDSL (Worst)

Hope you find the best internet service provider in your area.

Edit- November 14, 2007

Read my entry on an upcoming Philippine Broadband company Happy Communications

1. 

   ktd says:

   March 15, 2010 at 03:32 am

   The problem with globelines dsl service is high pings.

   here is my pingtest of my 3mb line.
   http://www.pingtest.net/result/12555711.png

   For a broadband service to be considered good, pings would have to be under 100ms but globelines can not provide that. My 266ms ping is to a node less than 50 miles away.

   Details on the line quality D grade is “Most online applications will NOT perform well but should function in some capacity”.
   Gee, thanks globelines for the top of the line 3mb dsl line that does not perform well.
2. 

   dreamgiver says:

   March 24, 2010 at 10:00 am

   i am hapi to hear that your experience with Globe broadband is good. I wish i can say the same for myself but it’s not really working for me.. We’ve only had the service for a month and we’ve had all sorts of problems. Late technicians, no dial tone, intermittent connectivity, lousy tech support and even billing issues to name a few. I’ve always had a hard time calling them. I am a tech support myself and i am confident to say that i know how to troubleshoot my home network. the only time i call them is if the issue is beyond my control like checking if there’s a service outage in the area. i agree with you. tech support reps should not think that we are ignorant and we dont know much about computers. also, they should atleast try to make a lasting impression, a good one at that. the tech who installed the internet was late. not just a few minutes or a few hours late but a week late. and when the modem was finally installed, they played with the pc instead of checking if it was online. they checked what mp3s we have on the pc and played music so loud as if they own the place. Our bill started 14th of the month but the modem was installed 20th and we were able to use it the 21st because there’s no dial tone and their so-called router was only limiting the connection to the 1st pc to get the IP. so we had to troubleshoot and call tech support and wasted 2 hours on the phone with the lousy rep. The connection was intermittent. it would drop like 4 or 5 times in an hour and it’s really very annoying especially when i am playing online games. I did multiple calls and was promised that a tech would check the lines multiple times and after a few weeks a tech finally came out and checked the lines. they found out that there was a loose cable somewhere which is clearly their fault and yet they refused to credit our account for the 6 days that we didn’t have the service yet (acct start date: 14th but service was installed 20th) and for the intermittent connection. To top it all, they disconnected our account for non-pay. we didnt even get the bill yet!!! they failed to send us the bill and we were waiting till the 20th because that’s when the service was installed!!! Now, i am really not sure if we want to get on with the subscription but they locked us in…Really terrible experience!!!
3. 

   Edward Lee says:

   July 04, 2010 at 11:28 am

   For me

   Globe = 5/10
   -7/10 Good with streaming
   -4/10 Bad with online gaming
   -3/10 Slow Tech Support
   (one of my friend who’s working with Globe told me that, when your account was nearly expiration, they won’t listen to your calls.)

   Smart = 7/10
   -5/10 not that good in streaming (always buffing)
   -7/10 Good with online gaming
   -8/10 Fast tech support

   PLDT
   - haven’t tried it because the nearest PLDT line was about 100m.

   –
   Dont like the tech support of globelines.
   Have you guys tried the Wi-Max? They say that there’s no more “UP to Xmpbs”. They say that if it’s a 1mbps plan it was at it’s max speed of 1mbps? Which is better for wi-max? globe or smart?
4. 

   Berg says:

   August 04, 2010 at 05:09 am

   1/10 for Globe….. Damn… I subscribe for 1.2k and i got not a half of 999… >.< And they got a 1/10 for Costumer Service to.. When theres a problem they keep their line busy as if. they are… Damn…
5. 

   Jon says:

   August 13, 2010 at 11:39 am

   Globe Boradband Customer Support sucks bigtime!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had been out of connection for more than two weeks now and yet their support team keeps on telling me they are responding to my concerns, they are making report of my concern and that all my concerns are being relayed to their support team, but up to now for more than two weeks, nothing is happening. This is very disgusting to us faithful payer to their service. Out of frustration, I was trying to ask their customer support if I could just personally contact their support team but they do not give me any number.

   Their usual unacceptable remarks:
   1. Their team is currently checking the outside facility due to catastrophic problem to the facility.
   2. The next time you follow up: OUtside facility is now okey and your house is already scheduled for visit (where for two to three days of waiting no one visited!!!!)
   3. Then you follow-up again (outside facility is again defective)
   4. They already came for a visit but the house is closed (di ba sila marunong kumatok!!!!!)

   The best answer their can provide is “I am sorry for the inconvenience!!!!”

   Well, I think it is very unacceptable to hear such phrase for more than two weeks and no action is being done, puro lang palusot!!!!!