Smart free Internet now offered to postpaid, broadband subscribers, too

As if free 30MB data daily for its prepaid subscribers isn’t enough, Smart Communications is now offering the same special promo to its postpaid and broadband users—we’re talking all 72 million Smart, Sun Cellular, and Talk ‘N Text subscribers—as well. That’s like throwing in the kitchen sink for good measure!
Even better, Smart has extended the offer from November 30, 2014, to January 5, 2015.
Same rules apply: no P2P, no streaming, no messaging, and no VoIP (more details about the limitations here). We guess the telco needs to make sure that its network can handle the traffic that's coming its way.
Unless you're on Facebook. The promo includes unli all-you-can FB access, so even if you send messages or watch videos on the social-networking site, you won't incur additional charges.
To avail yourself of the offer, just text FREE to 9999.
We wonder what Globe Telecom's answer to Smart's updated promo will be this time. We know that it is bringing back Free Facebook, which was first made available from October 2013 to April 2014. We emailed the company, and we're just waiting for its answer.
Anyhow, we are about to board a plane, so we're just going to post Smart's full press release here. Merry (early) Christmas?
“In another unprecedented move, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and Sun Cellular announced that effective October 3, it is expanding their free Internet offer to all of their prepaid subscribers to also cover all their postpaid and broadband subscribers.  Furthermore, they are extending the duration of the free mobile Internet promo across all subscribers—postpaid, prepaid and broadband—from November 30 through the Christmas season until January 5, 2014.
The announcement was made through MVP’s official Twitter account: “TY for the overwhelming response to #SmartFREEInternet. Our early Christmas gift to our loyal and new subs—offer now extended to Jan. 5.”
In another tweet, MVP added “Even better—free Internet now open to ALL prepaid, postpaid & broadband subscribers of Smart, TNT 7 Sun #smartFREEinternet for All.”
Full Facebook experience and more
On top of their free Internet, all subscribers can also enjoy “unli” “all-you-can” Facebook access - including sending messages via Facebook messenger and viewing of videos embedded in the social networking site. Subscribers can also enjoy all-day Wikipedia access as well on top of their daily 30 MB free data allocation.
Through this special offer, all of the 72 million subscribers of Smart, Sun and Talk ‘N Text can enjoy browsing through all their favorite websites as well their social media accounts using their data-enabled handsets. They can also send and receive emails, use their favorite mobile apps, shop online, and more—without incurring additional data charges.
This move comes a week after Smart and Sun Cellular surprised the industry with its groundbreaking offer for free mobile Internet for its Smart prepaid, Talk ‘N Text and Sun Cellular prepaid mobile subscribers.
"This is our way of thanking our subscribers as well as a response to the requests of our postpaid and broadband subscribers to be included in the special offer. It is part of our overall strategy in accelerating mobile Internet adoption and usage in the country," said Charles A. Lim, executive vice president and head for wireless consumer business at Smart.

Text FREE to 9999
To avail of the free mobile Internet offer, subscribers just have to maintain an airtime balance of at least one peso, or be subscribed to any load bucket/promo. They can register each day, by simply sending “FREE” to the number “9999.” Registration is free. They will receive an SMS confirmation upon successful registration.
Once registered, subscribers can enjoy a free data volume package of up to 30MB per day. Data charges will however apply to peer-to-peer uploads and downloads, videos (unless embedded in Facebook), VOIP and messaging (except for Facebook messenger).
Smart’s successive free mobile Internet offers follows the leader’s recent announcement that it has stepped up the deployment of its broadband network, to meet the growing demand for data services.
Resilient and nationwidest network.
"With millions of subscribers going online, our network has been performing very well, enabling them to sign-up for the service to take advantage of the free Internet offer ." said Roland G. Pena, Smart Technology Group Head.
The PLDT Group has thus far rolled out about 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables all over the country which provides the transmission facilities needed to support Internet services. It has also the most extensive international cable systems needed to connect the Philippines to the rest of the world.
Last Wednesday, PLDT also announced that it is boosting the capacity of its 90,000-kilometer domestic fiber optic network by 520 gigabits per second under a P544-million expansion project that will be completed by the first quarter of 2015. This will raise the total capacity of PLDT’s DFON by 13 percent to 4.6 terabits per second.”

NTC sets benchmarking for broadband service

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is set to roll out the benchmarking of the broadband services of telecommunication providers led by dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said the regulator is seeking a P15.5 million appropriation for the 2015 budget to be able to buy a benchmarking equipment as well as vehicle for the broadband service of telecom providers.

The benchmarking would help determine the quality of broadband service being delivered by telecom providers to their subscribers, he said.

The NTC used to conduct benchmarking test for the voice calls as well as short messaging system (SMS) or text messages offered by PLDT’s Smart Communications and Ayala’s Globe.

The NTC has been conducting Quality of Service Benchmarking tests for voice calls and SMS to ensure that telecom companies provide better service to their subscribers.

Parameters include the blocked calls or grade of service, dropped calls, average signal level, and call set up time.

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The agency is pushing for a legislation that would identify broadband service as a basic service so that the government could regulate it.

Cordoba said the broadband service could not be regulated by NTC because it is classified as a value added service (VAS) under RA 7925 or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of 1995.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino, chair of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, said in a hearing last week that making broadband a basic service would allow the NTC to regulate it by imposing standards on speed as well as pricing.

The regulator is now drafting a circular setting the minimum standards such as speed of broadband offerings.

The circular being prepared by NTC would also require telecom providers to remove or clarify terms such as “unlimited” or “up to” with regard to speed and size of data offered.

Aquino earlier filed Senate Resolution 620 declaring that the slow and expensive Internet connection is adversely affecting the ease of doing business in the Philippines.

Alcatel-Lucent, Globe Telecom Sign LTE deal in the Philippines

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and Globe Telecom (PSE: GLO) have today signed a confirmation of award for the transformation of wireless network infrastructure in the Philippine regions of Visayas and Mindanao, upgrading it from WiMax to LTE-TDD and LTE-FDD ultra-broadband access technologies.

The LTE infrastructure is part of Globe Telecom’s continuing network expansion to enable advanced technologies for better broadband service experience. This will provide higher network capacity, plus faster transmission speeds, addressing ever-increasing demand for broadband service with higher bandwidth in a country of more than 105 million mobile subscribers.

The signing of the confirmation of award was done during the Philippines official state visit to France. President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III of the Philippines and President François Hollande of France witnessed the signing in a ceremonial event at the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president.