ADVANTAGES
& DISADVANTAGES of major PHILIPPINE WIRELESS SERVICE OPERATORS
Coverage/Network Signal: * * * * *
Pricing: * *
Advantages:
- Backed by Southeast Asia’s premier international telecommunications company, Singapore Telecom, and the Philippines’ oldest conglomerate, Ayala Corporation, Globe enjoys the benefits of advanced technologies and technical expertise.
- Globe now has access to the largest amount of frequency available to cellular companies, which it can potentially use to expand its network capacity and services.
- Only Innove can offer voice-based services such as those enjoyed when using its TM product.
- Innove also benefits from its experience of being the first GSM network operator in the Philippines.
- If you can sacrifice a little bit of quality for a lower price, go for TM.
Disadvantages:
- Signal strength, especially when surfing the Net via EDGE, is oftentimes a problem for its subscribers.
- Despite the good resources available to Globe, it seems to be resting on its laurels especially on Customer Service and Network Quality. Recently, the AutoLoadMAX service got the ire of its subscribers because of intermittent delays, and to add to it, is the seemingly badly trained Customer Service Representatives who don’t know how to answer/solve customer inquiries and complaints.
- Globe also tends to charge too high for some of its services, and to worsen the situation, IMPROPER CHARGING is adamant in the system, particularly in its VOICE MAIL service.
- It does not give access to WAP and MMS in its TM brand.
- Globe-Innove is oftentimes caught up in upgrading activities for its cellular network since it owns the oldest GSM network in the Philippines (built in 1993).
2) Smart:
Coverage/Network Signal: * * * *
Pricing: *
Advantages:
- Backed by PLDT, the Philippines’ largest landline operator, Smart wisely used its resources to quickly expand its GSM network. It was done by co-locating Smart’s base stations in PLDT telephone exchanges, among others. Given such synergies, it enables Smart subscribers to enjoy the best when it comes to terms of network coverage and signal strength.
- Smart also offer international roaming on all its brands.
Disadvantages:
- Smart’s rates are somehow the most expensive in the whole industry.
3) Piltel:
Coverage/Network Signal: * * * *
Pricing: *
Advantages:
- Piltel is now able to share in the Smart GSM network.
- It enables Piltel subscribers to enjoy the best when it comes to terms of network coverage and signal strength.
- Through the same synergies, Piltel now has more Wireless Centers to serve its subscribers.
- Piltel’s TALK ‘N TEXT service offers a healthy mix between quality and pricing. So if you are looking for the best quality at lowest price available, go for TALK ‘N TEXT.
- Piltel also offer international roaming on its prepaid brand.
Disadvantages:
- Piltel’s rates are somehow the most expensive in the whole industry.
4) Digitel:
Coverage/Network Signal: * * *
Pricing: * * * *
Advantages:
- Digitel is currently offering most of the lowest rates for the different types of services.
- If you don’t put a prime on quality and would rather prefer the lowest price, you can go for SUN CELLULAR.
Disadvantages:
- Digitel’s signal is still too weak when it comes to indoor coverage, especially in suburban and rural areas.
- A lot of upgrading and technical improvements make the service still unreliable for discriminating users.
- While MMS sending and receiving is already possible, surfing the Internet via EDGE is still not available.
5) Express Telecom:
Coverage/Network Signal: * *
Pricing: * * * * *
Advantages:
- Extelcom’s products are best used if you and your contacts are more inclined to talking. Especially its Express Unlimited Regional service, which may be useful for trucking and delivery businesses, or even for couples who frequently call each other.
- If you have families and friends abroad, you can call them with Extelcom’s lowest IDD rate ever! For only P5.00 per minute.
Disadvantages:
- Extelcom is currently offering purely voice call services.
- Extelcom’s network still has limited coverage, especially in the Provinces.
- But Extelcom is planning to add the latest 3rd Generation cellular services (like video conferencing, and including SMS, MMS, Mobile Internet, etc.), and add more cellsites to its network, in the near future.
6) Next Mobile:
Coverage/Network Signal: *
Pricing: * * *
Advantages:
- The only network in the Philippines that offers integrated trunk radio (walkie-talkie) and cellular services.
Disadvantages:
- Network coverage is still limited to Metro Manila and most parts of Central and Southern Luzon.
7) BayanTel:
- Bayantel plans to resume offering wireless services by 2006.
Sources: Official Websites, Customer Service
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October2003.
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