My not-so-Smart (3G) Experience

First of all, some points of clarification. These are based on my personal experiences regarding the topic and I am only saying things the way I see them. Though I do have friends working for the other network, this “review” has nothing to do with it since I haven't even tried their own version of this technology just yet. Also, to my friends who has some knowledge regarding this topic, feel free to correct me kung may alam kayo na mali sa mga statements ko. Thanks!

I've been using the Smart 3G as my primary means of connecting to the internet for a few months already and I must admit, I'm not really satisfied with it's performance. I am using a (Nokia) 3G phone as a modem for my laptop and every time I connect to the internet, the same scenario always happen.

I have no problem with its downloading speed even though I know I could ask for more. Walang problema sa basic web browsing and even while watching videos from YouTube sometimes. Pwede na din para sa akin in short. But I cannot say the same for the upload speed. Uploading a few pictures on the internet could take lots of time, hours in fact, if you're gonna believe the time indicators in sites like Multiply. Considering that uploading the same amount of pictures or data using either the fixed-unlimited (home)line of Smart Bro (which has a rate of around 384kbps) or the free wi-fi access points from the cafes and burger joints would take only a few minutes, it's a no contest actually. Samantalang if you're gonna believe their marketing strategies (and also at least in theory) dapat ay halos magkasing-bilis lang sila (kahit man lang compared sa speed ng Smart Bro). I know a lot of factors also matter like the power of this laptop that I am using or even the phone unit that I use in connecting to the net. Well, nasubukan ko na din mag-internet sa mga burger joints na may free wi-fi more than once (sa Burger King sa Timog Ave. for example to be specific) using this same laptop and I must say meron talagang difference.

One more important issue that I would like to raise (and this one really pisses me off most of the times) is that whenever I'm in the middle of my browsing, all of a sudden my connection would change from “local and internet” to either “local only” or “limited connectivity” habang patuloy pa din na tumatakbo ang connection time ko. This happens more often that not, minsan nga kahit wala pa akong 5 minutes nakaka-connect sa internet. We all know from the advertisements that Smart charges a flat rate of P10 per 30 minutes using this technology (Globe offers basically the same rate if I remember it right). But since my connection is limited or local only, parang useless din siya in a sense kasi wala ako ma-access na ibang sites or pages whatsoever. In effect, nagbabayad ako ng wala naman nagagawa or napupuntahan talaga. If that's not a case of being ripped-off then I don't know how to call it. Imagine, for example, may kausap ka sa YM tapos nasa kalagitnaan kayo ng pag-uusap nyo ng biglang hindi na siya nakakasagot? Pagtingin mo sa connection status mo yun pala para ka na din disconnected kung tutuusin. My friends could attest to that, kala nila kausap pa nila ako yun pala wala na. And I have no choice but to disconnect and connect uli para naman hindi masayang yung tumatakbong oras ko. And trust me, in my case this happens at least (with emphasis on the words “at least”) 4 to 5 times during a short 30-minute period. Hindi na nga ako magtataka kung bago ko pa man mai-post itong blog na ito ngayon e nakapag-reconnect na ako ng ilang beses.

Akala ko nung una dahil lang ito sa cellphone unit ko. But I had this one chance of using the portable Smart Bro kit owned by one of my officemates (that portable modem na gawa din pala ng ZTE, of all companies, at binabandera ng mga artista sa commercial gaya nila Sam Milby with Sandwich doing the commercial jingle to the tune of their famous hit “Sugod”). Naintriga ako hiramin kasi akala ko mas stable siya at mas sulit kung sakali kaysa naman kapag cellphone ang gamit ko. After all, muntik na din ako mapabili noon nito kasi akala ko mas mapapamura pa ako kung sakali. Nagkataon lang kasi na nung lumabas siya before e wala pa siyang driver for Windows Vista kaya hindi na din muna ako bumili. Buti na nga at lang hindi nga ako bumili kasi ganun din pala, mapapamura nga ako, and I am not speaking in a positive manner. Mapapamura ako in a sense na puro mura din pala lalabas sa bibig ko pag nagkataon kasi ganun din siya, nag-iiba din ang connection status while using it. I asked my officemate (the owner of the said device) kung ganun din ba ang nangyayari pag siya ang gumagamit nito sa bahay nila and guess what he said? Ganun na ganun din daw.

Now why am I not surprised? Hehe!