I’m on my second year of Smart’s Freedom plan. Since then, I’ve convinced 3 other people in my immediate circle to switch. Why? Because it ends up being cheaper. Also, there’s no need to type in any prefix before calling someone, unlike if you were on a prepaid promo. You just call directly from your Contacts List. For a long time, I registered to Trinet400 every month, but lately, I have been using the Mega Combo 250 instead.
MEGA COMBO 250
This subscription gives me unlimited texts to all networks (Philippines only), 3 hours of calls to Smart, Talk N’ Text and Sun and 100 MB of mobile surfing, for P250.00. It used to be that the 100MB mobile internet was a bit sparse, so I sometimes add an ALWAYS ON 100 (75MB good for 30 days).
However, since Smart is now giving free internet, I might not have to get ALWAYS ON 100 anymore.
I like the Mega Combo 250 because I can text to my heart’s content to any network without having to worry about extra charges or having to check phone numbers. The 3 hours per month is sometimes not enough if I have telebabad sessions, but it’s enough if I don’t have telebabad sessions and just use it for ordinary calls.
To register, text MEGA250 to 9990
To have your Mega Combo 250 automatically enrolled every month, text GO MEGA250 to 9990
To stop auto-renewal, text STOP MEGA250 to 9990 anytime before the current subscription expires
TRINET 400
Trinet 400 gives 2,000 texts to all networks (it’s as good as unlimited to me), 500 minutes of calls to Smart, Talk N’ Text, Sun and PLDT, and 150MB of mobile internet, for P400.00. This is actually the best deal out of all the Freedom Plan Flexibundles. But every month, I find that I hardly make more than 100 minutes of calls and the 400 minutes left felt like such a waste. Well, considering that I only pay P400 for everything, it’s not really that heartbreaking, but still. It was overkill. If there was a cheaper option or a downgraded plan, I’d take it. If, however, you are the type who makes a lot of calls to Smart numbers, then this could be the best plan for you.
For those times when I know that I will be busy and making a lot of calls and need to call PLDT landline numbers (yes, this includes nationwide PLDT landlines), I still register to Trinet400 instead of Mega250. But ordinarily, Mega250 is enough.
To register, text TRINET400 to 9990
Review of the Smart Service
I am very satisfied with the call quality of Smart. On my Note 2, calls come in crisp and clear. Except when the other person is on a speakerphone. Then I can’t understand a word that’s said. But I don’t think that is Smart’s fault. I blame the other person.
I have not experienced any network busy problems so far.
Texts are sent and received quickly. There is no “delayed text” issue.
Mobile Internet
Internet is very fast. Somehow, my Freedom Plan SIM is getting higher speeds compared to my other Smart Prepaid SIMs during Speedtest. More on that here. But sometimes, Smart’s mobile internet has problems. Several times, I’ve experienced being unable to connect to Smart’s mobile internet while in Metro Manila, in places where I should have been able to connect. Tried turning mobile internet on and off, restarting my phone, etc.. and then finally calling Smart’s customer service to find out that they really do have a problem. Well, they won’t say they that exactly. They will say that they are doing some “system enhancements”. Legitimate system enhancements are usually scheduled in advance and customers are usually advised about the service interruption. I realized that for Smart, “system enhancements” is code for “something in their network broke and they are trying to fix it”. I’ve experienced this network problem maybe 4-6 times in the last 2 years, most recently, last weekend. Since I’m not on mobile internet 24/7, it could have happened far more frequently than that. It gets fixed and back to normal in a few days. But if you are 100% reliant on Smart’s mobile internet, you should definitely think about getting a backup, or expect to be without internet for a couple of days, at least.
Smart’s customer service is a hit and miss. I sometimes get great customer service, and sometimes get awful customer service, as described here.
44 responses to “Best Freedom Plan Flexibundles – Mega Combo 250 & Trinet 400 Review”
Hi,
I am using smart freedom plan and tried the free 9999 internet promo of smart. And to my shock all my internet browsing was billed to me and I wasn’t even surfing for long maybe 2 websites a day. Is freedom plan excluded to this free internet? I asked smart representative and seems she’s not aware freedom plan can use free internet. My friend who is just using prepaid card gets to use the free 9999 ok without extra charges so I am wondering why. Just wanted to know you experience with this.
Hi Rachelle,
Thanks for dropping by! I am also on Smart’s Freedom Plan and I have been using the Free Internet 9999 for months!
When you text “FREE” to 9999, you should get a text from Smart telling you that you are now registered. The free internet only lasts for 24 hours and max of 30MB, and does not include Viber, Whatsapp, Youtube, etc…
Once your 24 hours is finished, or if you exceeded 30MB or used services not included like Youtube, Viber, etc… you will be billed. If you want to avail of the free internet again, you have to register again (this gives you another 24 hours of free internet).
If you want to use the free internet everyday, you have to register again every day. You can only register again after the 24 hours is up. That means if you registered for free internet at 9:00 am yesterday, you need to wait until 9:01 am today to register again.
I wrote about the details and my review of the FREE Internet, please check it out! 🙂
Good day mam,..i was looking for reviews about this plan from smart and i have stumbled upon your very helpful blog. I would just like to ask if in your 2 years of using this plan, were you not given a free phone?. because when i inquired one time in their wireless center, the representative told me that after 6 months of using the said plan, I could avail of a free phone. looking forward for your help.,..THANKS!
Hello Sir Vic! Thank you so much for your question. I actually called Smart and asked about the details of their retention plan for Smart Freedom Plan holders.
I wrote a post about it because I know it would also help other people who might have the same question. Please let me know if I missed anything!
http://www.karenmnl.com/should-you-get-the-smart-freedom-retention-plan/
Thanks again, and hope you keep coming back 🙂
Im curious how to
do you pay for it? I mean do you get monthly billing statements and pay it over the counter?
Yup. This is a postpaid plan. So you get a monthly billing statement. You just text MEGA250 to 9990 to register. If you don’t register, you won’t be able to make txts, calls, nor surf. Gets? I am planning to go with this postpaid plan myself when my current plan expires next month.
Hi Paul, even if you don’t register to Mega 250, you will still be able to make calls and texts and use internet on the Freedom Plan. The problem is, you will be charged the regular rate and it will be expensive! P1.00/text and P6.50-7.50/minute, I think.
The only time I recommend not subscribing to any Mega 250 or other flexibundle is if your usage is so low that you don’t even reach P200 per month when charged using the regular rate. In that case, why spend P250 on Mega250 when you don’t even need it?
The great thing about the Freedom Plan is, by default (not registered to any promo), you are only billed for the amount you use. If you only send 10 texts and make a 1-minute call in a month, they will only bill you for P10.00 + P6.50 = P16.50. There is no minimum amount except that you must spend at least P1.00 in 60 days.
What if you don’t get to spend even a peso on your account?
Are there promos, if you use it from a different country?
Hi Princess, I have a second Freedom Plan account (I was intending to use it for my pocket wifi but used a prepaid sim instead nalang, so it now serves as my backup and to lend to friends & relatives visiting from abroad) and it’s been -P0.87 (negative, butal from previous bill payment kasi rounded off to higher peso) for several months. I am still receiving the paper bill every month (more than 4 months na) so mukhang active pa naman.
It’s not advisable to use it in a different country because roaming rates are expensive, but yes, you can activate roaming for freedom plan. Just remember that the credit limit is only P600. You can pay in advance before you go abroad so you’ll have enough credit for your roaming charges. But if you want to save, just use the Smart Surf Abroad promo (P550/day, good for short travel trips to areas with few free wifi spots) and ask people to contact you via Viber/WeChat/Whatsapp/FB etc instead. 🙂
Hi Lyka, I get a bill every month (by mail). You also have a choice to get an e-statement instead (no more paper bill). Smart also sends me email reminders and text reminders, and even does automated calls!
You can also download a pdf copy of your current bill when you register and log in to a My Smart account. I used to be able to access the pdfs of all my previous bills, but they changed it and I can only access the current pdf and last month’s (I requested to go back to paper bill since I end up printing my e-statement, anyway).
How to pay your Smart bill: you can pay at the Smart counter, but that’s such a hassle because they can have long lines. You can pay by online banking, phone banking or Smart Money, and even through bayad centers.
Hey, BQ! Corresponding with you is quicker and easier than having to dial smart’s 888. Hehehe. Anyway, quick question re Mega Combo 250. What would happen if I called a Globe number? Kasi di ba, Smart, Talk N’ Text and Sun lang?
TIA!
Hi, Paul! If you called a Globe number while registered to Mega 250, you will be charged the regular rate of 6.50 or 7.50/minute for your Globe call 🙂
Sorry, I’m not sure how much it is per minute. Smart redesigned their website again and all the important info is gone. The regular rates for calls, texts, IDD, etc… for the Freedom plan used to be in the Freedom Plan page but it’s not there anymore.
I’m liking this freedom plan – mega combo 250 more and more! I think when my current contract expires in May of this year, I’ll switch to it. Thanks so much for the info, BQ!
Yes, I think this is actually the best plan I’ve seen offered locally. All the advantages of postpaid at a prepaid budget! Pay as you use. There’s a P600 credit limit but I hardly ever reach it. My monthly bill is actually P250+ lang talaga.
I rarely call Globe numbers so for the times I need to call Globe numbers, I just subscribe my Globe prepaid to a GoUnli20 since it’s cheaper, especially if I expect my Globe call to last longer than 3 minutes (P20 is cheaper & unli pa vs. P7.50/min x 3 minutes on regular rate).
I’m still looking for a Globe offer/trick that will give me at least 60 mins of Globe to Globe calls for 30 days for less than P80. Hassle din kasi mag GoUnli20 every time.
anyone here used All day surf 999? how fast was it?
Hi gray, I think it depends on the location and signal strength. But I think Smart has started data capping. Check out the mobile internet posts on the site for more info 🙂
Hi Visited one of the smart centers to avail. she was asking for my COE/ITR. i thought I just have to present a valid ID and pay 250.
Hi Lyka!
What? Why did they ask for your COE/ITR? That’s the whole point of the Freedom Plan, you only need to present a valid ID with address and picture (driver’s license, SSS, etc) then pay P250. No need for any supporting documents unless your ID doesn’t have your address, and usually they will only ask for any recent billing statement to prove that your address is valid.
Baka baguhan lang yung staff. Can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been to stores where mas alam ko pa yung producto nila kesa sa kanila. Frustrating minsan. If you know you are right, you can try nicely asking for the staff to double check, or to ask for a supervisor or someone else to confirm. Basta alam ko, Freedom Plan – no need for COE/ITR. Valid ID lang with pic & address, or maybe they will ask for a recent billing statement. Then just pay the fee.
Take a screenshot of this page: http://smart.com.ph/Postpaid/plans/freedom-plan, especially at the bottom where it says: Just present a valid ID and pay one-time P250 application fee.
Hi! I was able to get it na! I visited another smart center na lang. Thanks for your help! BTW, for the new sims, we don’t need to register na for MEGA 250 kasi updated sims na daw and un na ung lalabas sa billing statement. Its up to me na lng daw if magdadag ako additional flexibundles promo. Automatic na Mega 250 ung sim upon applying the plan. 🙂
That’s great! Congrats, Lyka!
Hi may problem ako. Bakit po pag mag bukas ako ng mobile data wala pong lumalabas na E/3G/H+ etc freedom plan user din po ako. Ano po kayang problema nito? Tama nmn po settings ko 🙁
Hello, freedom plan din ako pero sakin naman pag inon ko ung mobile data, nalabas ung E/3G/H+ pero wala ako mabuksan na webpage. Di ko sure kung same nung sakin pero ginawa ko ngpunta na ko smart tpos pnachek ko bat ganun. Ginawa nila pinaltan nalang nila ung sim card ko (same no. parin) tapos ayun ok na ung internet ko. Hope it helps.
Salamat po. Galing na ko ng smart center, bali po sabi nung cs na naka disable lang po yung mobile data. Okay na po thanks godbless.
Glad your concern has been resolved 🙂
hello po. I just downgraded my plan to freedom plan 🙂 and i don’t know how to use the 180 mins. Call. Hehe is there any prefixes needed to use para magamit yun? I am always shocked po kasi sa mga extra charges sa bills ko whenever na hindi ko nagaganit yung mge free ng plan. I tried searching on the net pero yung *2477 + 11digits lang lumalabas which is for smart prepaid users only lang namn. Is there any prefix na dapat pong gamitin or wala na po? 🙂
Hi MeyLuhDii, thanks for visiting the site! No, there’s no need for any prefix when using the Freedom plan! Just call like normal. That’s why I chose the Freedom Plan vs just staying with prepaid. Hassle kasi prepaid, I have to keep 2 numbers for the same person – 1 contact entry has the 2477 prefix for calling, then another contact entry using the regular number for texting. Pag nakalimutan, haay naku, ubos load 🙁
To use the 180 mins call – you have to be registered to the Mega 250. If you are not registered to any promo, you will be charged the regular rate for every call & text. If you are registered to Mega 250, you can basically call anybody using the 180 mins EXCEPT Globe, TM and landlines.
You can check by texting STATUS to 9990.
Tama ms. BaratQueen. Nakakairita talaga kapag alam mong may load ka tapos naubos lang dahil sa prefix na yan. Hehe 🙂 anyways, thank you for the reply 🙂
@MeyLuhDii
Someone informed me that they have an Android app to help you avoid using your Smart prepaid load by mistake.
According to the developer:
It actually works as an independent app that makes calls directly. You simply open the app, set your promo code, and start making calls in a single click instead of fumbling through editing contact or copying and pasting their number. It is meant as a replacement for your default dialer when making SMART calls using your Unli Promo. It requires Android 4.0+, so it is compatible with most phones from the last 3 years.
I haven’t tried it out myself since I’m on a Freedom Plan, but if anyone is interested, please give it a try and review it on Google Play.
You can get it here:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.taras.melko.smartpromodialer
hi po. i am currently registered to trinet400. how to know if my plan is in auto-renewal? by the way my plan is ‘all-in plan’. thanks a lot!
Hi ajo,
I’m not sure for all-in plans. For my Freedom plan, I just text Go Mega250 to 9990 to auto renew.
You can call Smart customer service to check, but please, to avoid any hassle, don’t let them process the auto renewal for you in their system. It’s better to do it yourself via text.
I had a problem when Smart processed my auto renewal on their system. They set it on the 5th of the month (my cut off date). The problem happens for those months that have 31 days instead of the usual 30 days. So when 5th arrives, the Smart system doesn’t process the auto renewal because it is waiting for the 6th – this is to avoid being billed twice in the same cut off period. So what happens is, for the entire day (5th of the month), I am not enrolled to any flexibundle! I am being charged regular rates. Then after midnight, the flexibundle auto renewal kicks in. Then I have to call Smart to FIX the calls and texts I made during the 5th. It’s a hassle to do this every month that has 31 days. Alangan naman hindi ako gumamit ng cellphone ng buong araw ng 5 diba?
If you auto renew via text, it auto renews every 30 days, regardless if it’s a 30 or 31-day month. There is a very slight chance that you might not be billed for 1 month, then get billed 2x the next month if your renewal days fall on the 1st and 31st day of your billing cycle, but it’s very rare.
Hello po ask ko Lang paano iactivate ang mobile data pag disabled sa freedom plan kasi d ko nagagamit ung mobile data q
Hi gracie, check first if activated na yung 3g, gprs, etc etc mo. Tawag ka nalang sa Smart hotline para ma activate sa account mo. Your phone will receive the codes via text, if it asks you to save it, just save it. It should be easy, just read everything carefully before clicking anything 🙂
can you register for two buckets at the same time? ie TRINET400 & CALLALL250?
Let’s say you can register on these two buckets mentioned above, you tried calling a smart number, which bucket will be consumed first? CALLALL250 or the TRINET400? I know that if you call a globe, number then it charges CALLALL250 bucket, just not sure if it’s intelligent enough to charge TRINET400 first if you call a smart number
I was told that they use up the first promo you register to. So you might try registering to Trinet400 first so it uses up all your Smart/Sun. Anything outside that (Globe calls) will trigger the CallAll250. If you exceed your Trinet400 minutes, then your Smart/Sun calls will start to use up your CallAll250.
If you register to CallAll250 first, it will use up your CallAll250 first (even Smart/Sun calls), before going to the Trinet400 once your CallAll250 is used up.
Hi BQ! Your blog is very informative… kudos to you! Anyway, this is my concern…my current plan is 599 and will expire on the 15th of this month. Since I dont really get to maximize my current plan, Im planning to change it to Plan 250 (sim only). Is the Plan 250 the same with the Mega Combo 250? You said that to register for Mega Combo 250, you need to register it by texting MEGA250 to 9990. May I ask, do you have a prepaid sim or postpaid? Why do you have to register it if it is a postpaid plan? Can I just register to MEGA250 using my current plan 599 so I dont have to change my number? Or do I need to get a new sim for that Plan 250?
Hi Gee, thank you for your nice comment 🙂
I have a postpaid Smart number on the Freedom Plan, where we are charged ZERO amount if we don’t use anything, but we can subscribe to available flexibundles. The Freedom Plan has already been discontinued.
The Plan 250 SIM only – I think they just made the Mega250 into a plan. Instead of registering every month, the Mega250 is already in the plan automatically as the basic inclusion. It doesn’t call it Mega250, but the minutes, texts, etc is the same as Mega250.
I don’t know if Smart will allow you to downgrade your plan from 599 to 250. Just call them to ask. I don’t think you can register to the Mega250 if you are currently on the 599 plan, it will just be billed on top of the 599, I think. So lugi pa. Best is to try to ask if Smart can downgrade your plan from 599 to 250 nalang so you also can keep your current number 🙂
Thank you for promptly replying, BQ. Ok, I will just ask Smart if they could downgrade my plan to 250 so I could keep my current number.
I have freedom plan sim, i regeistered always on 99 at hindi nabawasan mb q.. So parang unlisurf na din aq
Is this promo still available today?
May i ask if how will i stop my auto renewal in my all in postpaid plan. I am currently registered to TriNet Plus 400. I want to register to a new all in plans.
Yung mga naka freedom plan, gumagana pa sa inyo yung plan o wala na?
Mine gumagana pa 🙂 pero forced to use Trinet399 because Mega250 is no longer available 🙁
I’m beginning to think that Smart has the right to take out the mega250 because technically, Freedom plan gives you the “freedom” to choose whatever promo (is available that time) you want
Yes, Smart has the right to take out Mega250. It just sucks for customers who don’t really need that many calls & texts though. Mega250 was a good plan that was easy on the pocket for light users.
Trinet399 is the next best combo I could find for my needs, although it’s way more than I need. I don’t need 500 mins of calls. Mega250 was just right. Now I feel like I’m paying an extra P150/mo for services I don’t use up.