Globe Tattoo

Choosing your internet service provider in the Philippines that comes in the quick and hassle-free usb plug-it package, largely depends on your location. Some areas are Smart, some are Globe, with Sun, still just a minor character in the mix. Much as I would prefer Sun to avail of the cheapest surfing packages, that really depends where you're located. In fairness to Sun, when I tried to buy a usb plug-it from them, they asked me where I was going to use it and was politely told that Sun's signal  at that particular location crawls. So thanks to that honesty, I saved a few hundred bucks.

When I relocated to Cavite for a while, I was forced to switch from Smart to Globe. Cavite is Globe territory. To be fair to Globe, they're not all that bad. In fact, I would say that Globe is faster than Smart. Globe at its best versus Smart at its best, judging by nothing else but speed and Globe wins by a definite margin. It was with Globe Tattoo that I first breached 2 mbps using a usb internet plug-it.

But the thing with Globe is, you never know. One day you are getting great service, the next day you have nothing. This is the reason I do not register for anything more than a 50 Php for one day surfing package with Globe.

Then there is the fact that Globe Tattoo signal dies when the power is out. I don't know how it is in other areas, but as far Cavite goes, when the power is out, the internet is out. This means that the two hour battery life of my laptop is useless as far as getting news from the web.

Then there is Globe Tattoo's customer service. One year into buying my Tattoo plug-it, Globe decided that my sim card was obsolete. I must have bought from an old stock or something,  all I know is that one day, for no apparent reason at all, I just couldn't register for any surfing packages with Globe Tattoo. I tried their customer service, they were useless. I only found the solution from other users who've had the same experience when I posted my complaint on internet forums. Changed the sim card and I was back in business again. So that's 100 Php out of my pocket just because Globe's programmers decided my sim numbers aren't cool anymore.

And then finally, the reason I loathe Globe service with a passion, was that fateful day when Globe decided to cap their unlimited surfing package to 1 gig. And they still had the gall to call it unlimited. With  the same one day package with Smart Bro, I can download 3 movies in the background that would be worth around at least 2 gigs. That's unlimited. Not this crap that Globe is trying to peddle.

It's really sad. Globe Tattoo could be a great product, the potential is there. You can almost see it. If only they treated their subscribers as customers and not like victims.