Globe vs. Smart: Which offers better mobile surfing abroad?

GMA News Online compiled a comparison of Globe’s and Smart’s most recent roaming service offerings for mobile web-surfing abroad.

 

One of the most common questions asked about these kinds of product comparisons—presuming all other things being equal—is: Which is the most cost-effective service to buy into?

 

Head to head, prepaid and postpaid

 

 

For postpaid customers, Globe offers unlimited mobile surfing abroad for P599, while Smart’s package is available for either P450 (for Asian destinations) or P550 (for select countries in Europe, Africa, and the US). However, Globe’s services can be availed in 70 countries. Smart’s are only available in 41.

For Smart prepaid users, they charge P500 a day for unlimited mobile surfing in Asian countries. Globe, however, does not yet offer unlimited mobile surfing for prepaid users.
 

Smart's fewer offerings aren't necessarily a shortcoming, howerver. The select number of roaming destinations is neatly offset by a cheaper and slightly more attractive price point.

 

So the quick answer to the question of which service is better is: It depends on where you're going.

 

Unless you're planning to globetrot all over the world, your best bet is to look at those countries you will be visiting to see which mobile carrier they have in common:

 

 

To check which services are available in the country where you are, simply click on the red dot. To zoom in on the map, click the plus sign on the left side. To zoom out, click on the minus sign. You can also drag the map around to find the country you need.

Also always remember that there are also other factors to consider aside from price and roaming capability in a given country. For example, the state of infrastructure in the destination country and the number of subscribers using that infrastructure also come into play. It's always a good idea to ask friends or relatives for their personal experiences, but always take these with a grain of salt.

 

For more information on roaming offerings, you can visit the respective carriers' official sites. For postpaid options, you can click here for Globe and here for Smart. For prepaid options, you can click here for Globe and here for Smart. — TJD, GMA News