I’ve been conducting reviews on SmartBRO and Globe Visility 3G services for the past weeks. And here are my findings:
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SmartBRO 3G |
Globe Visibility |
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PLAN 799 |
60 hrs free (upgraded) |
40 hrs free plus FREE 2 wifi –hours connection |
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PLAN 999 |
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60 hrs free plus FREE 3 wifi-hours connection |
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PLAN 1,500/1,499 |
Unlimited (new) |
100 hrs plus UNLIMITED wifi hours connection |
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Charge Scheme |
10/30-minute block Cons: 30-minute metering is tricky. It is based on clocktime |
5/15-minute session Pros: You can save if you only stay online for less than 15 mins. Cons: If yo are disconnected and reconnects within same 15-minute block, the reconnection is considered another 15-minute session. |
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USB modem dongle price |
P2,500 (prepaid) ZTE MF622 2 cables (short & long) SIM card is for data only |
P2,500 (prepaid) ZTE MF626 1 long cable (but USB direct plug) MicroSD card slot Uses regular SIM card |
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Reloading |
Load Retail outlets Load Cards (but have to insert the SmartBRO SIM to a cellphone) |
Load Retail outlets Load Cards (but have to insert the Globe Visibility SIM to a cellphone) |
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Load Balance Checking |
You have to register to WebConnect to check the balance |
Just type BAL and send to 222 in the application program. |
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Connectivity |
HSDPA (new), 3G, EDGE,GPRS |
HSDPA, 3G, EDGE, GPRS with WIFI (hotspot only) |
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HSDPA 3G EDGE GPRS Wi-Fi |
Average Speed 400 - 700 kbps 150 - 250 kpbs 80 - 120 kbps 30 - 40 kbps (dependent on hotspot) |
Maximum Speed 1.8Mbps 384 kbps 156 kbps 56 kbps 512+ kbps |
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Modem Installation & Operation |
Plug and Play (with issues on some laptops. Older laptops missed some original windows components and that would give ZTE modem a hard time to work. I’d tried it on my laptop before I reinstall the OS to recover the component needed for the modem to work. Same with other laptops I’d tried.) |
Plug and Play Overwrites existing smartBRO installation |
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SIM card capability |
For data connection only |
Data connection; SMS (can even text while not connected to internet), Call (if SIMplaced in mobile phone) |
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SIGNAL STRENGTH MONITOR *Bag-ong Dalan, Yati, Liloan, |
(with 4-5 bars cellphone signal) 3G= 1-2 bars only (switches to GPRS anytime) (Speedtest.net): @ 1 bar—download= 33kbps @2 bars—download= 126kbps GPRS= 5 bars (speedtest.net) Download= 31 kbps Upload= 12 kbps |
(with 4-5 bars cellphone signal) 3G= no service to limited service (can’t connect)
GPRS= 2-4 bars (very hard to Browse multi-media sites and webcam can’t hardly connect. |
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*Tabok, Mandaue City |
3G= 2-3 bars
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3G= (UMTS/HSDPA)- 2-3 bars (speedtest.net/CDO server) Upload = 76kbps Download = 97 kbps GPRS= 5 bars |
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*ABS-CBN TOC—Jagobiao, Mandaue City |
3G= not detected (will switch to EDGE/GPRS) EDGE/GPRS = 5 bars |
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*DYAB Reception Area |
3G= 2 bars EDGE/GPRS= 5 bars |
3G/UMTS= 2 bars (will switch to GPRS anytime) GPRS= 5 bars |
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*DYAB Announcer’s booth |
3G= 4 bars EDGE/GPRS= 5 bars |
3G/UMTS/HSDPA= 2-3 bars (speedtest.net/CDO server) Upload = 76kbps Download = 97 kbps |
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*DYAB Announcer’s chair |
3G= 3 bars EDGE/GPRS= 5 bars |
3G= 2 bars only GPRS= 5 bars |
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*SM CITY LOWER GROUND FLOOR (during its respective promotional activity.) |
3G- not detected EDGE only |
3G= HSDPA connected but actual speed as tested by speedtest.net is only at 200 plus for both upload and download. |
CONCLUSIONS:
- Signal strength is largely dependent on locations favorable to each of the network’s cell sites.
- Signal is fluctuating—most of the time. So, advisable to set the modem at 3G preferred so that if it will disconnect from 3G site, it will shift to GPRS.
- For charging rate, you must be aware of the scheme used by the network so as not to expect more time when it is actually less time left.
- Globe has an edge with it comes to the other features of the modem. For example, its capability to send/receive SMS messages even while offline. Check balance within the application program without registering to another system unlike SmartBRO that requires users to register with WebConnect.
- Finally, I am maintaining my previous stand—3G cellphones are still the best option to connect to the net. Based on my test, cellphone while at GPRS mode is even faster than both SmartBRO and Globe Visibility when connected via GPRS.
Click the link below to listen the discussion of this topic during the radio show-”Hi-Tech ‘Ta Bai!” @ DYAB1512 of ABS-CBN Cebu:
Related posts:
- Smart’s Just Plug It vs. Globe’s Visibility
- Smart BRO prepaid & Plug iT–same dogs with different collars
- SmartBRO Plug iT Modem Problem
- Wireless 3G Services are shortchanging its prepaid customers
- Finally, My Laptop Connects with SmartBRO Plug iT
Disclosure: SmartBRO and Globe Visibility provided the USB modem dongles test units during the duration of this review. This writer maintains his journalistic independence in coming out with this review.
