Just Plug-It

After putting the mobile phone in the hands of millions, Smart Communications, Inc. has sparked the next telecom revolution for the Filipinos — this time to democratize access to the Internet. Sound confusing? It’s actually not. What it means is that now Smart has come up with an affordable way to provide wireless broadband Internet to a whole new spectrum… including me! And I couldn’t be happier!

Indeed, Smart recently launched their prepaid wireless broadband service, Smart Bro Prepaid, making the World Wide Web available to a broader segment of the population with affordable sachet pricing, nationwide coverage, and easy loading. In other words, it’s almost exactly like a prepaid line though instead of getting phone minutes and texts you get Internet service instead. And it’s affordable because you can control the number of minutes you are online. Hence you only spend on what you need.

For only P10, Smart Bro Prepaid subscribers can access the Internet for 30 minutes, using a small USB device called the Smart Bro Plug-It that can be hooked into a desktop PC or laptop. The Smart Bro Plug-It is actually a radio receiver that connects the user to Smart’s nationwide wireless broadband network.

“The Internet is the new cellular. The Internet should be for all. We will put it in the hands of everybody,” said Orlando B. Vea, Smart’s chief wireless adviser.

Vea is the founder of Smart and was its first president and CEO, when the then start-up company changed the Philippine telecoms landscape with its affordable mobile phone service. He is now back at Smart, again leading the company in innovations towards bringing telecoms and multimedia services down to the grassroots.

Internet access has become a must for any country’s development. It has become a basic tool for communications, education, commerce, social interaction, governance and the delivery of social services. The Philippines, however, has one of the lowest Internet penetration rates among its peer countries in the region. Underserved demand for Internet access is estimated at 15 million connections.

With low-priced new and used personal computers now on the market, affordable access is seen as the solution to the underserved demand for Internet connection. Indeed, these days it always seems that everyone wants to be online. Everywhere I go I seem to need to get online — to check mail, to send mail, even to check on social networking sites (my unfortunate weakness!).

The Smart Bro Prepaid kit is priced at P4,500. The kit includes the Smart Bro Plug-it USB modem, a SIM card, and P30 worth of free broadband load which can be readily used for up to 1 hour and 30 minutes of high-speed Internet access. Smart Bro Prepaid can connect to Smart’s HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) network at speeds up to 384 kbps, allowing for an easy online experience. Basically, once you pay the initial package cost you have the USB modem and instant Internet access. All you have to do is load the SIM card again and again like an ordinary Smart phone.

And the best part is Smart Bro Prepaid requires no monthly fees and you don’t need to submit any document to avail of the prepaid broadband kit. Just go to any Smart Wireless Center, Smart Bro agent or Smart Bro accredited dealer and easily get your very own Smart Bro Prepaid broadband kit. Subscribers can easily load their account in over one million Smart Load outlets across the country or use any Smart Bro Load Card. Smart Bro load go for as low as P30 and Smart Bro Load Cards are available in P100 and P300 denominations.

So if, like me, you are always feeling the need to be online, check out Smart Bro’s prepaid Internet. It’s a hassle-free, affordable way to stay connected!