I have been a Smart Freedom plan subscriber for 30 months. I always wondered if there was any retention plan for Freedom plan subscribers but I didn’t have much hope for it – there’s nothing in it business-wise for Smart to spend more money to keep people in their Freedom plan tier. There is no minimum spend (P1.00 every 60 days doesn’t count) and people can walk away any time.
But visitor vic rod left a comment asking me about the retention plan for Smart Freedom plan subscribers so I thought I would call Smart and ask.
My call was answered by a very nice sales rep. She was very patient and answered all of my questions and hypothetical situation scenarios. As gratitude I gave her all 7’s (highest score) in the after-call survey. The Smart Retention Hotline is *887.
Here is how I understood my options if I wanted to avail of the Smart retention plan for Freedom plan holders:
1. Who’s Qualified? Any one who has an active Smart Freedom Plan in good standing for 6 months can avail of the retention plan.
2. If you want to avail of the retention plan, you have to move to one of the All-In Plans. You can’t stay on your Freedom Plan. This requirement had me going NO. The cheapest All-In Plan is P500, but I’m already quite happy with my Mega Combo 250, which only costs P250, and meets all my calling & texting needs. It’s funny because I used to telebabad all night in high school (via landline pa), and now 3 hours a month is more than enough. Calls are mostly of the “Where are you?” variety. Rare telebabad sessions get moved over to Viber. All other information spreading is done via text.
3. Once you pick your new plan, you have 2 choices: free phone or rebate. You can choose your phone from those available for the new plan you picked, and you can add cash if you want a better phone. The percentage of the rebate is based on how long you’ve had your active Freedom plan account. Here’s the tiering structure:
- 25% – 24-47 months
- 30% – 48-71 months
- 35% – 72 months and up
In my case, I’m at my 30th month, so I fall under the 25% rebate tier. The 25% rebate is computed based on the plan amount. For example, if I opted for the Plan 500, my monthly rebate will be P125.00 (25% x P500), even if my actual bill (before rebate) amounted to P1,000.00.
The rebate will apply for 24 months (the length of the time of your new 24-month contract). Once your 24-month contract is up, you can choose to downgrade back to the Freedom Plan or sign a new 24-month contract.
Termination fee applies if you cancel your contract before it’s up.
What the sales rep kept emphasizing about this retention plan is that they start counting from first day of your original plan.
Let’s say I did get a Plan 500 and signed a 24-month contract. When that Plan 500 contract ends, I will be 30 months (now) + 24 months (Plan 500) = 54 months. Should I decide to get another 24-month contract with Smart, I will be at the 30% tier, and will get 30% rebate. And if I renew again 2 years after that, I will be at the 35% tier (54 + 24 months = 78 months).
Conclusion
Smart is providing the Freedom Plan as a gateway plan, hoping that you will like their service and eventually move up to their regular plans.
But I won’t be availing myself of this retention plan because there is no added value to me based on my usage. I also do not like being tied to 24-month contracts.
However, for those whose Freedom Plan bills regularly amount to P500 and up, this is a good deal if you get the rebate. Save yourself 25% on your bill. You’re already regularly spending at least P500 a month anyway, the 24-month contract won’t make a difference to you, so save yourself at least P125.00 a month.
Choosing the free phone option only makes sense if you really like the phone, and if the free phone is more expensive than P125.00 x 24 months (P3,000). If you’re planning to sell the free phone, better make sure you can sell it for more than P3,000. If you can’t sell it for higher than P3,000, just get the rebate.
25 responses to “Should You Get the Smart Freedom Retention Plan?”
Hi mam! I just stumbled upon ur site and found myself liking every bit of it! Very informative and insightful! I am now a regular reader!
Thank you, miongb! I am so glad you like the blog. I appreciate your kind words very much. It’s readers like you who make my blogging worthwhile 🙂 Please help spread the word about http://www.baratako.com 🙂
Hi thanks for the info I have the Freedom plan for 18 months and was thinking of getting it upgraded but I’m hesitant because of the contract. I also use Mega250 which I think is the best. I’d probably stay with freedom plan but atleast I have an option in case I would need a new phone.
Hi Laney!
Thank you for your comment 🙂 I agree, staying with the Freedom Plan is the best choice because you have many options and are not forced into staying in the contract, or forced to pay a certain minimum amount per month. It’s nice to meet a fellow Mega250-er!
Hello! Good day! 🙂 Will I be asked an additional documents if I will move to their All In Plans (retention) after 6 months on my Freedom Plan?
Hello Channie! Thanks for visiting. I don’t think they will be asking for any additional documents since the sales rep was ready to process the change over the phone and did not ask for anything else from me once she verified my account. I was the one who had to make sure that she DID NOT upgrade my account.
Please let us know how your experience goes 🙂
Oh! Thanks! Good thing that they will not ask for any documents especially financial documents ’cause I don’t have any to present since I’m still a student.
Thanks for the info…I am actually looking for the information about retention plan..but then I think MEGA250 still my choice…I am 22 month freedom plan user btw
Hi Jules, thanks for visiting! It really depends on your usage, but if Mega 250 is enough for you then getting the retention plan will just be more expensive 🙂 so you have the right idea in sticking to the Mega 250 🙂
Called Smart earlier, they said the rebate option isn’t available for the Freedom Plan, but for higher tier plan. Only the free phone option is available.
Hi Jack, thank you for leaving a comment! They may have changed their retention offers since then.
But the Freedom Plans don’t have retention plans themselves. You have to migrate to a higher plan (and say goodbye to your Freedom Plan) if you want to avail of the retention offers. The only positive is that they will include the months you were on the Freedom Plan when they start calculating how long you have been with Smart.
hi!
just wanted to ask if smart is still offering the freedom plan currently…?
tia,
r
also, quoting one post fr the comments section (see below) dated July 9, 2015 at 7:35 am by MeyLuhDii, this gives me the impression that the freedom plan is still being offered? i’m currently on prepaid but would like to avail of the freedom plan, may you please advise in re the correct steps on how should i go about doing this? hoping for your prompt reply & thanks also miss
best,
r
MeyLuhDii
July 9, 2015 at 7:35 am
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 r,
Smart stopped offering the Freedom Plan a couple of months ago, I think. It was a really good plan, too. I was caught by surprise when I heard they had stopped offering it. They are replacing it with this: http://smart.com.ph/Postpaid/plans/other-plans/plan-250
It’s almost the same since most people who get the Freedom Plan end up registering to Mega250, anyway, which offers the same thing – P250 for 180 minutes to Smart/Sun/TnT, unlitext to all networks, and 150MB.
You just don’t get the flexibility to not subscribe to anything for a month or change subscriptions, like get Trinet 400 instead if you are a heavy user.
Would u know how to use ur Freedom plan or Plan 250 for surfing?
Is surfmaxplus available for this?
Thanks!
Great blog, btw 😉
Hi.
I red ur comments here. Freedom plan is like my current “sim only plan 250”. It offers the same perks as you have. I got it feb 2015 and im on 24th month now. In my first year, i applied for retention package which i decided to avail of the rebate, PhP30.00 rebate every month.
Now, on my 2nd end contract i cannot avail of the rebate. The customer service told me that i have to go higher or upgrade my current plan so that i can avail of the retention package. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, yung mga inooffer nya sken eh hindi ko naman kelangan, bakit ako mag uupgrade. Mas mahal pa nga kung mag uupgrade ako. Useless!
Kaya mas mainam icontinue ko na lang ang current plan ko kesa mag upgrade. Tutal, im using data of other network kasi mas mabilis sa area nmin unlike smart na ambagal. Mas ok na ko sa unlimited txt at 180 mins call and 100 mb data nila. Kasi di ko rin naman nauubos lahat. Mahilig ako mag check ng mga offers and plans. So far, wala pa rin tatalo sa plan 250. Kasi affordable.
Oo nga, me too, I’m still using Megacombo 250. Rarely ko naman nauubos. The difference lang between the Freedom Plan and Sim Only 250 is that with the Freedom Plan, you can pay as low as possible, lower than P250 if your usage is really low.
I use a dual sim phone so I just use my 2nd SIM (prepaid) to register to an internet promo, yung Gotscombodd70, P70 lang per week for 1 GB.
Re: rebate or loyalty plan. Wala na siguro sila masyadong kinikita sa P250 per month natin kaya wala ng rebate. But that’s okay. The P250 fits my needs already, sulit na sulit ko na siya. There’s really no need to upgrade to a higher plan.
Got a message that mega250 is no longer available for freedom plan. This is so sad. Been a mega250 user for the longest time. 399 trinet alternative 🙁
Yeah, got that message too yesterday. We don’t have any alternative but to get Trinet 399 instead, P149 more expensive with stuff I don’t really need…. 🙁
I already blogged about it here: http://www.karenmnl.com/no-more-mega-combo-250/
Gumagana pa rin freedom plan nyo? What if inactive ka for a few months (no text, call, internet transaction). Maeexpire ba yung sim?
Yes, nag eexpire yung SIM pag inactive 🙁
Hi! I’m currently enrolled to all in plan 1200 and my contract will end on September 2018. I was wondering to renew my plan but I would like to get the freedom plan, is it possible that I will have the same # as my all in plan?
Hi Pam, unfortunately, Smart is not offering the Freedom Plan anymore. Just browse the Smart website, take a look at the different plans they have available, especially the Flexibundle offers, and see if there is a combination that better fits your needs 🙂
I know this is not the right place to ask. Pero April 2016 Kumuha kami nang phone.
Pwede na kaya ulit ngayon January mas early since good standing naman kame. 🙁
Am I qualified for retention plan?