Smart Bro is a wireless internet service provided by Smart Telecommunications, one major player in the Philippine mobile services arena.
Smart Bro connections differ in two types: the fixed antenna and modem usually installed above the house and the USB 3.5G modem, the more handy and truly mobile option.
I happened to use the second type, the USB 3.5G modem, which is actually capable of using 2G (the old-school voice and text), GPRS, EDGE, 3G and 3.5G (HSDPA) signals. I borrowed the 3.5G modem from a high school classmate. I tested the connection at Kalayaan Residence Hall of University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City Philippines.
Specifically, I used Smart Bro’s service in my room which is located on the basement and at the newly renovated lobby. First off, I’ll discuss my internet experience on my room.
Smart Bro @ the basement of Kalayaan Residence Hall
The connection was virtually dead even if it was connected to Smart’s servers. A high school batchmate earlier reported that she can’t connect to the Internet. The inner geek in me went out and suspected the DNS server to be the culprit. I switched to OpenDNS and tadaaa, it worked.
The big question is: how about the unknowledgeable public that doesn’t even have an idea on DNS servers?
Yes, it was insane. I swiftly browsed my way to speedtest.net, my favorite speed test website. I tested on the nearest server, BayanTel server in Quezon City, Philippines. The ping time was 571ms (too high), 78 kbps (kilobits per second) download rate and 30 kbps upload rate. This means that the connection is just nearly 40% faster than the 56kbps dialup connection for download and a bit behind a dialup’s usual upload rate.
Then I tried to access my email, open my blog’s administration panel and the usual websites I visit. It was crappy slow — our home dialup Internet was still a lot faster. It was really the biggest crap in the world — a “broadband” Internet slower than a narrowband dialup connection. — deleted, too harsh.
Smart Bro sucks [ sucked at my room ]. Smart Bro is Smart Broken.
I was not convinced and so I unleashed the adventurous side of me. I stood up on the ledge of my bed, held the laptop on one hand and the 3.5G modem on the other. Tested the speed and tadaa, yielded a 563ms ping time (a very little bit faster than the previous normal scenario), 162 kbps download rate and 31 kbps upload rate. Still very disappointing since you still have to risk yourself from falling down with a laptop to obtain the speed. Another downside of this is that you can’t type on the keyboard unless you have a third set of hands.
Smart Bro, for the second time, sucked! Smart Bro is Smart Broken.
Smart Bro @ Lobby of Kalayaan Residence Hall
The lobby is situated on the first floor, higher than the basement. I tested its speed but still got very disappointing results at 543ms ping time, 204 kbps download rate and 42 kbps upload rate. The actual Internet connection was sluggish and was not consistent. A number of instances that the connection goes dead for quite a time and restores itself back to momentum unexpectedly.
For other freshmen living in Kalayaan Residence Hall, I advise you that Smart Bro is not a good choice [unless they do a system enhancement of the 3G signal in the area]. I suggest that you avail the free DilNet wifi at the U.P. Computer Center located right in front of Ipil Residence Hall, EnggLib2/CS Building and other DilNet hotspots. [ I suggest you avail of the free DilNet wifi at the lobby. ] Internet speed [ of DilNet Wifi ] usually ranges from 3 to 4 mbps download and upload rate (40ms ping time) on peak hours and 6 up to 10 mbps on nonpeak hours. A drawback of using DilNet is that it is filtered. Game sites, social networking sites and streaming sites are blocked at most times of the day (semi-allowed domains) while porn, gambling and illegal sites are prohibited at all times.
Conclusion
As for conclusion, Smart Bro is a crappy bad Internet choice for Kalayaan Residence Hall residents unl. Smart Bro sucks! Similar reports and blog entries on Smart Bro on other areas area also evident and widespread in the world wide web — thus safe to conclude that the Kalai experience is not an isolated case.
Smart Bro sucks, on the said area.
Here’s an interesting review of why Smart Bro really Sucks by Jehzlau. And also, I would like to share a list of the Best ISPs (Internet Service Providers) in the Philippines.
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i am having problems with my smartbro connection, and wanted to terminate my service…can anyone help me write or give me sample of a Service terminitation letter..pls pls. thanks
Smart Bro sucks talaga, napaka unreliable ng internet connection sometimes meron but most of the time super bagal ang connection and I’m a postpaid subscriber what more kung prepaid. Imagine this post was published nung 2008 pa and 2010 na ngayon wala pa ring inimprove yung service nila
hay, naku palgi wla signal ang smart internet namin. 3 tao na nga ang tumtingil plagi ganu. at ang bagal pa. syang ang bayad nmin. wla kwenta yta
I’m also a user of smart bro, so far ok naman ang experience ko. I agree that in some places mabagal tlga ang connection. Just like other broadband.
Depende kung saang lugar, pag mahina ang signal ng hsdpa (high speed data packet access) connetion mabagal tlga. So you have to check first and review kung ok ba ang signal sa inyo bago kayo bumili. Tamang research muna.
As of now wala pa ako ng nakitang holy grail ng plug and play na internet. Maybe in the future pa.
As a customer ganyan tlga ang reaction pag pangit ang service, nagkakaroon ng blog na katulad nito. Di ibig sabihin crappy sa inyo eh crappy na sa lahat. Mag survey ka muna kid para di ka mag reklamo sa huli.
good work smart bro representative!
“Di ibig sabihin crappy sa inyo eh crappy na sa lahat.” – are you kidding?
It shouldn’t be crappy anywhere! Smart is paid, that should always be remembered.
I’m planning to subscribe to their p999 plan. but with all these comments…
smart bro sucks right now 2 weeks na kong nabibwisit sa smart bro 999 plan… nasa contract 2 years with 3mbps anung klaseng connection yan di naman 3mbps putol putol ang connection putcha kakadismaya service nila ano naman gagawin namin sa mga discount tickets tuwing christmas na binibigay nila ehh di naman kami pumupunta don kasi di sikat amft talga DamN YOU SMART telecommunication!!!! fix your mess!
hindi dapat smart bro…… eto dapat SMART BROKE!!
bat ang smart bro ko.. pumapalo ng 5mbps?.. mag search kasi kayu…. paganahin nyu utak nyu
advise ko sa nyo simply lang. wag bumili ng smart bro, sayang pera nyo
Smart bro sucks…. I’ve reported my intermittent connection for more than 2 months now and still they cannot fix the problem. Customer service always says they have technical issues at base station. For more than 2 months not fixed? I’m tired of your PALUSOT…
Overall, never try this broadband service…
Wag kayu maniwala sa mga tao nag sasabi ok daw connection nila or maganda daw service ng smartbro, mga agents yan ng smart, mga p?tang ina kau wag kau d2 dun kaau sa smart website nyo mag post. In general panget talaga service nila, full bar hsdpa ako d2 then connection timed out palagi, from 6pm – 12 midnight. sabi ng TL ng smartbro CSR, Joel ang pangalan congested daw tlaga ang server nila wala daw cla magawa dyan unless ang smart mismo mag expand ng kanilang technologies which i doubt it dili nila gagawin kac mas lalung lalaki expenses nila.
Been using SmartBro as an ISP since Nov. 2006 and all I can say is sa una lang mabilis pero ng tumagal, diosme sobrang sakit sa ulo! Nakailang contractor na ang pumunta dito para makita kung anong mali, sobrang hina ng dumarating na signal daw kc nakaharang daw yung church ng Iglesia ni Kristo dun sa tore nila! Hindi ako makalipat ng ibang ISP kc so far, SB ang ginagamit ng neighbors ko… pero may nagsabi sa akin ok daw ang Bayantel DSL or PLDT. Bahala na, basta ayoko na sa SB super perwisyo sa buhay!
kalokohan talaga ng SB mabilis daw pero ang totoo ne google nga hirap e connect palaging time out….. ayos ayusin nyo naman mga taga SB ang work nyo para atisfy naman ang mga user ng broadband nyo….. at ung nag sasabi 3mbps malaking kalokohan un mas mabilis pa cguro pagong dun….
Unions form the spine of the nation. There might not be many employees left, however they battle for workers’ privileges. These types of privileges, then, tend to be converted to other non-union jobs. Without unions, we are all just individual employees trying to battle for our rights.
Mabilis naman ang Smartbro ah? Nakakapag-Skype pa nga ako. Bakit mostly sinasabi nila mabagal ang Smartbro.. hmm.
bagal nga ng smart bro, ni hindi ako makapag skype..kelangan ko pa nman un sa work ko..
hey, smart bro. 1 month na kami mahigit wla signal. tapos ngayon pinadala niyo kami ng bill.
sna naman ayusin nyo., madadaya kau. twag kami ng tawag sa smart wla nman ngayayari.
hey, smart bro. 1 month na kami mahigit wla signal. tapos ngayon pinadala niyo kami ng bill.
sna naman ayusin nyo., madadaya kau. twag kami ng tawag sa smart wla nman ngayayari.
SANA NMAN GAWIN NYO.
ang hina ng sinal ko wimax nasa labas na ng window ko hinapa dn,hindi na kami yung mga ka chat ko hindi kuna nk usap ng maayus kahit kylan,pati yung free printer wala pang update kung kylan makukuha,,anu bayan
hoy lahat ng mga taong bumubuo sa smartbro sana magdusa kayo,3 years na kami nagdurusa sa mahinang signal ng internet niyo,tuwing 15 seconds nawawala ang signal.
pwuera sa probinsya lang kami hindi niyo kami binibigyan ng maayos na serbisyo.next week magpapa DISCONNECT na kami,papalitan na namin ang aming internet.BWISET!!!
smart bro is good sometimes but most of the times its the worst…5 percent good and 95 percent worst!
bakit ganun? it works great naman last two years… from 2008 to 2010. Pero bigla na lang nagdidisconnect this year lang!! I mean, what happen? bakit biglang naging b*tch ang smartbro this 2011??? The connection is pretty fast.. I can use Skype and it sends message immediately. But it keeps on disconnecting for the love of customers!
I’m living in Paranaque City so the connection here is fast but it keeps on disconnecting. It gets worse when it’s raining too.