Category: Telecoms

NTC to penalize telcos for not meeting QoS standards

Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

So it seems that the National Telecommunications Commission is really serious about bringing the Quality of Service of the two major telcos (Globe Telecom and Smart Communication) at par with their standards, or else they’ll face the wrath of Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba and his troops.

celltower< Commissioner Cordoba said that they’re currently monitoring the two service providers’ first quarter performance and they plan to release the result come April. If one or both telcos failed to meet NTC’s standards, each company will be given sufficient time to explain to the commission why didn’t pass.

However, if the commission finds their excuse “not meritorious”, the telco will be prohibited from accepting new subscribers until they pull themselves together and meet the standards that NTC has set. Here are the Quality of Service standards that need to adhere to:

• Blocked Calls or Grade of Service – equivalent or less than 4%
• Dropped Call Rate – equivalent or less than 2%
• Average Signal Received Level – minimum acceptable Signal received is -85dBm
• Average Signal Quality – rated from 0 to 4, with the former being the highest
• Call Set-Up Time – less than 14 seconds

Now here’s how both telcos fared during the previous quarter (Q4 2012):

NTC Q4 2012 result

Both these telcos have their work cut out for them. But neither company seemed to be too worried about their upcoming result. In fact, both telcos are confident about their network and thinks that they should be able to meet the standards.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to getting our money’s worth. We liked how NTC is getting their hands dirty by making sure that these telcos are delivering the right service that’s due to their subscribers. We will update you guys once NTC unveils the Q1 results.

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You’ll also be getting a free bundled landline with free unlimited calls to all Globe and TM subscribers!

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The post NTC to penalize telcos for not meeting QoS standards appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Smart to offer FB Messenger for free or discounted rate

Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

This year’s Mobile World Congress is turning out to be a momentous event for Smart Communications. Along with the announcement that they’re teaming up with Mozilla for the local release of Firefox OS handsets, they’ve also been included in the list of telcos that Facebook has chosen to offer free or discounted access to the Facebook Messenger.

fb messenger smart

Smart is joined by 17 other service providers across 14 countries that would provide its subscribers more affordable options to access to the social networking site’s communication app which is available on Android, iOS and Facebook for Java.

As we all know, Facebook is the most-used social media network in our country. Moreover, study shows that 3-out-of-4 Filipino users converse with their friends using the Facebook Messenger app every month. Having said this, one would think that FB wouldn’t even have to bother partnering with these telcos, right? Well, not exactly.

fb messenger app

First of all, the research didn’t state whether those users are sending message using the FB Messenger app. Moreover, FB Messenger isn’t exactly the preferred choice for most mobile users when communicating with their loved ones (or haters). These two aspects are, in our opinion, what Facebook is trying to address with their recent push is to increase the usage of their messaging app.

But regardless of what Facebook is trying to achieve here, having a free or discounted access to Facebook Messenger is still good news for thrifty subscribers of the MVP-owned telco. However, Smart has yet to layout their plans of whether they’ll offer the service at discounted price or at no extra cost.

********* A friendly reminder from our sponsor *********

Need better internet speeds? Get the country’s premier home broadband service with Tattoo Torque. With speeds of up to 100 Mbps, you’ll spend less time waiting and more time having fun!

You’ll also be getting a free bundled landline with free unlimited calls to all Globe and TM subscribers!

And because you’ll be applying for a plan online, you’ll also be getting a 10% discount on your first 6 months plus a bonus treat for two (2) at Vikings Luxury Buffet! To enjoy this Yugatech-exclusive treat, visit: http://bit.ly/WTmwaP

The post Smart to offer FB Messenger for free or discounted rate appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Globe accepting pre-orders for CloudFone bundle

Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

It’s always nice when local telcos offer a phone and tablet combo under their affordable plans. If you’re in a hunt for sweet deal, Globe may have what you’re looking for. Check out the bundle promo after the break.

The bundle involves two CloudFone devices; a 7-inch CloudPad 700W tablet and CloudFone Excite 320g handset. Details about the tablet are scarce, but from what we know it’ll sport a WVGA display which will be powered by 3000mAh battery. The CloudPad 700W will also offer storage expansion for up to 32GB and will run on Android ICS out of the box.

globe cloudfone bundle

Below are the details about the CloudPad 700W’s handset companion – the CloudFone Excite 320g.

CloudFone Excite 320g specs:
3.2” TFT LCD, 320 x 240
1GHz QSC 7225A processor
256MB RAM
512MB internal storage
Expandable up to 32GB
2MP autofocus camera
VGA front-facing camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
HSDPA 7.2Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
1400mAh Li-Ion battery
Android Gingerbread

These two Android-powered devices are being offered under Plan 499 which can be configured to suit your needs. The first option has Php499 worth of Voice calls and SMS consumables. Subscribers who will opt for this are also eligible for a Php99 top up that would give them 50MB worth of data and 2 SMS and voice calls freebies.

globe cloudfone philippines

The second one includes Php400 worth of SMS and voice calls consumables, 50MB worth of data and entitles the subscriber for a call and text freebie. If you think you’ll need more than 50MB for web browsing, you can go for the third option which has 1GB worth of data and entitles you to a call and text freebie.

If you’re interested in Globe’s promo, you can head over to this link to sign up for pre-order. Globe is also giving away freebies such as gift certificates and SM Cinema movie tickets to subscribers who will be applying for a postpaid plan through Globe online shop.

********* A friendly reminder from our sponsor *********

Need better internet speeds? Get the country’s premier home broadband service with Tattoo Torque. With speeds of up to 100 Mbps, you’ll spend less time waiting and more time having fun!

You’ll also be getting a free bundled landline with free unlimited calls to all Globe and TM subscribers!

And because you’ll be applying for a plan online, you’ll also be getting a 10% discount on your first 6 months plus a bonus treat for two (2) at Vikings Luxury Buffet! To enjoy this Yugatech-exclusive treat, visit: http://bit.ly/WTmwaP

The post Globe accepting pre-orders for CloudFone bundle appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Globe Prepaid unveils GoSakto, create your own promo

Bob Freking Leave a comment

Just recently, for Globe Prepaid subscribers, you can now dial *143# and you’ll be able to spot GoSakto, which allows you to basically avail any combo of promos you want.

Upon dialing, you will be presented by number options. By sending 1 (GoSakto), you will be sent to further options. You can create a promo having only the services that you need. Globe will be asking you if you want to text, call, surf or the combination of any.

As an example, when I selected a Call/Surf combo, I was asked if I were to make Globe/TM calls only. Upon saying yes, I was asked on the number of minutes, the amount of data I want to consume online and the length of validity for the surfing.

For 20 minutes of calls to Globe/TM with a day of unlimited surfing, Globe asked me a total of Php52. Very neat, I have to say. You may even name your promo for your convenience.

********* A friendly reminder from our sponsor *********

Need better internet speeds? Get the country’s premier home broadband service with Tattoo Torque. With speeds of up to 100 Mbps, you’ll spend less time waiting and more time having fun!

You’ll also be getting a free bundled landline with free unlimited calls to all Globe and TM subscribers!

And because you’ll be applying for a plan online, you’ll also be getting a 10% discount on your first 6 months plus a bonus treat for two (2) at Vikings Luxury Buffet! To enjoy this Yugatech-exclusive treat, visit: http://bit.ly/WTmwaP

The post Globe Prepaid unveils GoSakto, create your own promo appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Smart LTE Bucket pricing for all LTE devices

Louie Diangson Leave a comment

Smart has released its LTE Data Packages for Smart Postpaid subscribers with LTE-enabled devices (the ones that are not on iPhone 5 but are LTE-capable).

Smart LTE packages_1

The following LTE Data Packages apply to subscribers with Regular Plans, Consumable Plans, Unlimited Data Plans, and iPhone Plans:

Smart LTE

Do note that you need a Smart LTE SIM to be able to enjoy these services. If you’re a subscriber from 2010 below just visit any Smart store to have your existing SIM replaced for free.

Smart LTE subscribers will be able to enjoy data speeds of up to 42 Mbps until March 30, 2013.

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********* A friendly reminder from our sponsor ********* Need better internet speeds? Get the country’s premier home broadband service with Tattoo Torque. With speeds of up to 100 Mbps, you’ll spend less time waiting and more time having fun! You’ll also be getting a free bundled landline with free unlimited calls to all Globe and TM subscribers! And because you’ll be applying for a plan online, you’ll also be getting a 10% discount on your first 6 months plus a bonus treat for two (2) at Vikings Luxury Buffet! To enjoy this Yugatech-exclusive treat, visit: http://bit.ly/WTmwaP

The post Smart LTE Bucket pricing for all LTE devices appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.