Chat Rooms & Pen Pals

[Kabul Guy]

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Does anyone know if there are any online sites where you can buy a Smart load? For other countries I use etopuponline, but only Globe is available on that site for PI.

A few years ago I used worldremit.com to top up my Smart number but now have a Globe number so have not used them since 2014.

Also Lazada sells load, with a 5% discount. You pay 950 for 1000 load.

[Mr Enternational]

Although I wasn't buying data, I bought 300 from them when I came through in April. Did the same for a newbie colleague whom I met at the airport a few days later. You usually come off as very sophisticated, so I'm surprised they took advantage of you in that way. Was the sales person female?

I always ask the ones next to the money exchange and the ATM. There is a double Smart booth. So there are usually several agents, male and female. Every time I go through there they say the same thing so I never buy there. I will try again this month.

Does anyone know if there are any online sites where you can buy a Smart load? For other countries I use etopuponline, but only Globe is available on that site for PI.

[Soapy Smith]

At the airport Smart will not sell a load less than 500,

Although I wasn't buying data, I bought 300 from them when I came through in April. Did the same for a newbie colleague whom I met at the airport a few days later. You usually come off as very sophisticated, so I'm surprised they took advantage of you in that way. Was the sales person female?

[Mogwai]

If you get Smart SIM card then get P100 load. Then get the ALLIN99 promo for P99. This will get you 7 days unlimited texting to the 3 or more networks, 1 gb of data and 100 free minutes of calling within the network. Ask the kiosk person to help you with it.

Or look at their website for other promos, for only 1 day up to 30 days. They often change them or have new ones.
smart.com.ph/prepaid

[Bushes]

Not to rain on your parade but many ATT phones only have the US LTE bands. You should double check the specs on line at the ATT site or at least 2 other sites. Sometimes the ATT sites are actually wrong with the specs. The LG US site should have the correct one but make sure you look at the ATT branded phones.

4 G LTE bands are different from 3 G bands. 2 G got axed in the States several years ago.

As I said before, I like the Motorola G4 and above phones and the OnePlus phones. Both have Worldwide band, a term ATT uses. But those 2 really cover the world like the top end Samsungs. OnePlus is a top end flagship phone for a great price. The latest iteration is 6. The camera is great for preserving your memories.

Thanks to all for the great advice.

At a small local cell phone store I bought an LG AT&T phone. It is a 4 g LTE GSM unlocked with 16 MG, cost was $130. The dealer said he has many southeast Asia customers who want the same thing. I have loaded it with several apps and am ready to go. I did not buy any airtime for the phone so when I get in Manila I will buy sim and have local number to set up the new apps. More to follow.

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[Mr Enternational]

If you get Smart SIM card then get P100 load. Then get the ALLIN99 promo for P99. This will get you 7 days unlimited texting to the 3 or more networks, 1 gb of data and 100 free minutes of calling within the network. Ask the kiosk person to help you with it.

This is only a suggestion. I reload every 7 days. This saves on the frustration of running out of load and no where in sight to reload. Of course you can buy prepaid P100 load cards to reload later.

At the airport Smart will not sell a load less than 500, and the 7Eleven in the airport does not sell the loads. I just always wait until I get in town and go to a normal 7Eleven and get a 200 load. I use SURFMAXPLUS50 which gets me 800 MB of data/day for P50. I'm only there a few days and use a lot of data, so the P50 plan works great for me.

Your SURFMAX PLUS will expire within 60 mins . To continue surfing, Subscribe again to any SURFMAX PLUS package. Available in 3 denominations: SURFMAXPLUS50 P50/day, SURFMAXPLUS299 P299/7days and SURFMAXPLUS995 P995/30days. Just text SURFMAXPLUS(denomination) to 9999 ex. SURFMAXPLUS50 to 9999

1/3 You have successfully registered to the NEW SURFMAX PLUS 50. Enjoy All day surfing up to 800MB/day. Load is valid for 1 day.

[Dg8787]

Last few times I was there the Globe / Smart people at the airport were giving away free sim cards.

If you get Smart SIM card then get P100 load. Then get the ALLIN99 promo for P99. This will get you 7 days unlimited texting to the 3 or more networks, 1 gb of data and 100 free minutes of calling within the network. Ask the kiosk person to help you with it.

This is only a suggestion. I reload every 7 days. This saves on the frustration of running out of load and no where in sight to reload. Of course you can buy prepaid P100 load cards to reload later.

[Shark5]

Thanks to all for the great advice.

At a small local cell phone store I bought an LG AT&T phone. It is a 4 g LTE GSM unlocked with 16 MG, cost was $130. The dealer said he has many southeast Asia customers who want the same thing. I have loaded it with several apps and am ready to go. I did not buy any airtime for the phone so when I get in Manila I will buy sim and have local number to set up the new apps. More to follow.

Last few times I was there the Globe / Smart people at the airport were giving away free sim cards.

[ForkTruck]

Your plan is ok if you want a cheap phone and poor service.

6. Please report back on your purchase whether in USA or Phil. Also on what your network was and how do your cp performed. Please feel free to write FRs as you are there.

Thanks to all for the great advice.

At a small local cell phone store I bought an LG AT&T phone. It is a 4 g LTE GSM unlocked with 16 MG, cost was $130. The dealer said he has many southeast Asia customers who want the same thing. I have loaded it with several apps and am ready to go. I did not buy any airtime for the phone so when I get in Manila I will buy sim and have local number to set up the new apps. More to follow.

[Dg8787]

This has worked well for me. Also consider a phone with dual sim slots. This way you can maintain a stateside sim and a Smart or Globe sim in the Philippines without switching out sim cards. Just remember to switch the phone to the appropriate sim for each country. Make sure the phone from Amazon is specifically "unlocked" and "GSM. " The Smart and Globe stands in the Philippine airport will switch out sim cards for you if you only have a single slot, but then you have the hassle of carrying your little stateside sim around without losing it--and vice versa with the Phils sim when you get back to the states. BTW, GSM phones work in most other countries.

Stateside providers that offer service for unlocked GSM phones include AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS, Simple Mobile, and Tracfone.

I use an older Iphone dedicated for PH and keep contact numbers on it. Lately I have found the iPhones have excellent LTE coverage which provides great internet connection. Phone calls are clearer on it too. I should say with Smart SIM card. I have no idea about Globe.

The Iphone has an easy block caller on it.

[X Man]

Is that a warning or an invitation? Oh, I love these DIA gals.

i'm just a simple, sweet and friendly person but don't try to push me off my limit because surely will blow you off to the universe!

[Soapy Smith]

I suggest the following.

1. While in America get a good unlocked 4 g LTE service cell phone from Amazon for under $150. Make SURE it is GSM network, which would be AT+T. Do NOT buy Verizon network cp. 4 gLTE works good for Grab app without WiFi. Buy at least 8 gb cp and you can add a memory card to it.

This has worked well for me. Also consider a phone with dual sim slots. This way you can maintain a stateside sim and a Smart or Globe sim in the Philippines without switching out sim cards. Just remember to switch the phone to the appropriate sim for each country. Make sure the phone from Amazon is specifically "unlocked" and "GSM. " The Smart and Globe stands in the Philippine airport will switch out sim cards for you if you only have a single slot, but then you have the hassle of carrying your little stateside sim around without losing it--and vice versa with the Phils sim when you get back to the states. BTW, GSM phones work in most other countries.

Stateside providers that offer service for unlocked GSM phones include AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS, Simple Mobile, and Tracfone.

[Goferring]

Indeed. That's why I ended up buying one at $188 instead of half that amount. So far it's been fine..

I paid about the same and luckily it came with fast charging. A very handy feature for a travel phone so you can grab quick top ups between flights and taxis.

[Simmer]

Don't go for the cheapest models as they have so little memory that you will not be able to add many apps which will limit online hook ups.

Indeed. That's why I ended up buying one at $188 instead of half that amount. So far it's been fine.

2. Download your apps in USA with your better WiFi. Download all apps to your memory card so it doesn't slow down your cp.

I would just add offline maps to that. It's been invaluable in Mexico and the Philippines when my roaming access has been less than ideal and I'm checking where I am / going to (eg in taxi).

[Bushes]

Adding to others. Better if phone has LTE Band 28. Google is your friend. LTE Bands 5,3,1 are listed but I am not sure. So 2 GB+ memory and 16 GB+ internal storage is better. I like 2 sims but that jacks the price up.

Motorolas are cheaper than Samsung and are great phones but poor camera. Depends on your budget. Some go on sale for under USD100 but you need to keep an eye. Motorola G4 for USD130 on their website.

Amazon label phones are ad sponsored and cannot be rooted. If you want something to last and keep, get a OnePlus. If you are tech challenged, just a G4 and above Motorola or a OnePlus. Cannot go wrong.

I am waiting for 5 G to role out and then pick up some 4 G give away phones on sale.

My plan upon arrival from states is to stop in a local store in manila and buy a phone, get local number, load GRAB, and load viber. Comments on this plan please? Am I missing anything? How much will a phone set me back? Thanks.

I bought a Galaxy J1 at the same time I had a Galaxy S5.

1. While in America get a good unlocked 4 g LTE service cell phone from Amazon for under $150. Make SURE it is GSM network, which would beAT+T. Do NOT buy Verizon network cp. 4 gLTE works good for Grab app without WiFi. Buy at least 8 gb cp and you can add a memory card to it.

2. Download your apps in USA with your better WiFi. Download all apps to your memory card so it doesn't slow down your cp.

3. At the airport you can buy your SIM card and load. Ask the girl to install the SIM card for you if you are cp challenged. I suggest you get a Smart brand SIM card..

A83 set me back about US $188. Can't remember the piso price but probably Php9,999. Does the job, no point spending $750-1000 on a Samsung Galaxy or iPhone anymore, it seems. Plenty of new smartphones at half that price also, might have a few less features.

Don't go for the cheapest models as they have so little memory that you will not be able to add many apps which will limit online hook ups.

I bought a cheap phone with 1 GB of rom which turned out to be essentially useless. $100 should get you some thing with 4 GB which will do everything you need.