OFW woes with Globe’s Kababayan SIM Card

So, that explains why my wife complained about her globe bill was way over of what she usually pay. Hmmm. I think I’ll go buy a Smart partner Sim here.

Response from Globe:

Dear Chester,

Good day!

Your concern was endorsed to us for handling. Please allow us to address your queries accordingly. We would like to apologize for the misinformation relayed to you by one of our customer service representative regarding the Globe Kababayan sim. As you know the Globe’s promo that charges Php 1.00 per text message sent to Singtel subscribers ended last March 17, 2008. Please provide us the handyphone number you used when you called our Customer Service hotline. This is to verify the information relayed to you by one of our customer service representative. Also this will ensure that we render proper coaching for the Customer Service representative who handled your inquiry.

We would like to thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please be advised that have done necessary corrections to our website. However, for Globe postpaid subscribers please wait for further announcements regarding the promos concerning Singtel.

Should you need further clarifications please feel free to reach us through this medium.

Thank you very much for your continued patronage of Globe.

Respectfully,

Divi Vocal

Globe Customer Service

I still feel Globe has the best Customer Service in terms of handyphone and broadband…

I hope this issue is resolved, I have to tell a lot of relatives about this… Thanks!

Thanks Yuga for helping me reach them. It just goes to show how big your influence in the industry is.

I am not concerned about the costs I personally incurred but I was embarrased towards those whom I assured that it is still ok to text Globe Kababayan users in Singapore.

I am also concerned about unsuspecting users getting hit similarly. Particularly those with postpaid accounts who are in for a big surprise when they see their next bill.

They should also have sent the announcement to Globe Kababayan users since they are the ones who can inform their loved ones about the changes. In fact, it is more efficient to inform 10,000 plus(?) Globe Kababayan subscribers in Singapore as opposed to informing the entire Philippine Globe population of whom only a small percentage send texts to Globe Kababayan users.

hey guys! i have been calling globe’s customer service hotline and everytime i get a different sms rate!!! its crazy and i’m getting upset at how inefficient they can be.

does anyone know how much it really costs for globe postpaid subscribers to my friend in singapore who uses the kababayan sim card?

any reply will be greatly appreciated!

thank you in advance.

I think this is because the kababayan sims in Singapore are Singtel prepaid cards (our cellphone numbers are Singapore numbers). We were based in Singapore until recently and was using a kababayan sim from singtel. Singtel kababayan users were not informed of the changes in the text charges, I had to hear from my family in Manila that they received that texts to singtel/globe kababayan sim will be charged P15/text instead of the P1/text before. After checking the globe website I had to inform my family and friends that if they wanted to text me they would have to bulk buy prepaid credits (ITXT) specifically for texting me. And I don’t think that a lot of people would bother to bulk buy a prepaid credit just to text one or two persons.

why is it that they can provide cheap text plans to prepaid subcribers and not to postpaid ones?

I’m having a hard time checking my balance on my phone i have OFW sim card and i couldn’t check m balance, I was at philippines i can check it when i get here at taipei i cant check it anymore..

I have the same agonizing hellhole experience with this OFW SIM SCAM (sorry, pero I really believe it is a scam).

Ambilis-bilis maglaho ng load. tapos iba-iba ang procedures ng pag-register at pag-top ng load at pag-ON ng roaming depending on whether you are reading the brochure, the website or a retailer na ang habol lang ay bentahan ka — Yes siya nang yes sa lahat ng tanong mo.

I spent more than 35 thousand pesos worth of load, bagong SIM, bagong phone (di raw kasi triband yadda yadda yadda) para lang maka-avail no’ng 1 peso per text. Nong una umubra, tapos no’ng magtagal di ko na magamit OFW SIM ko to text back. Wag nyo na itanong kung puwede ko siyang gamitin para itawag. I still have to use my Singtel iPhone to make calls.

I sought the help of their retailers here in Singapore. . . kahit isa walang sumagot. Yong isa sumagot kasi tinawagan ko pero ang sabi tumawag na lang ako mamaya, No’ng tumawag ako naka-off na ang phone niya. Iyong isa naman in-email ko. Nagbounce back. Wala raw gano’ng email account. Sa sobrang desperado ko dahil sa laki ng nagastos ko dumiretso ako sa Lucky Plaza, inisa-isa ko lahat ng shops. Kahit isa walang nakatulong sa mga tanong ko. Wala raw silang alam. But all of them offered to sell me a SIM Pack na mas effective raw. I bought them all. . . and still in limbo pa rin yong 1 peso per text na habol ko. lalo siyang gumulo. Nabubiwisit na sa akin ang mga kaibigan ko dahil paiba-iba number ko.

I am sure there are procedures to get me back to 1 peso per text pero sa isang hardworking OFW masyadong kapritso na ang dating para pagkaabalahan kung paano. Andami-daming procedures, sali-saliwa. Paiba-iba sila ng terms and regulations (which I really believe depends on the alignment of the stars at any given time of the day).

I have decided to shred all my GLOBE SIM into oblivion. I’ll stick na lang to my SINGTEL account kahit medyo mahal. Ayokong sumakit angulo ko. The very greedy and insensitive TELCOM companies should realize if they keep on going on with their ravenous and scamming ways, a new technology will emerge to challenege the status quo and they will end up like PLDT — a big chunk of a dinosaur of a has-been.

Halata bang galit ako?

Ayoko na! Sagupain ang mga ganid na TELCOMs.

hi..
i have a GLOBE OFW SIM which i bought when i was in philippines..when i arrive here at UK,i was’nt able to use it now..

i just wanna ask if,why is that,i can’t make a call or even text?? but i can still recieve texts..

is there anything you can suggest so that i’ll be able to use it??

thanks..
am looking forward to your response..

why is that when family sim called me ,my load eat them up.?and do ofw sim also get unlitd txt or other promos??

ahm..hey..i just bought an OFW sim card but i don’t know how to load a 300peso on it..please help me..email me at cj_****@****.***

i cant load the 300 pesos card on my OFW sim..??>!!!!!!!!!anyone knows..????when i call the reload it always say ..toooot tooooot toooot…:D

hi globe ng ex expire ba ang globe
kasi my ngtxt skn na globe alert na mang exexpire na dw ng 48 hours??
bkt ganun?
pls respone

we bought an OFW sim pack. It was being used when one day the it can not be used because the roam has been disabled for whatever reason.

how to reactivate the roaming feature of the OFW sim considering that it was bought because of its roaming features.

thanks.

my mother bought a kababayan sim there in singapore and then the charges is 15/text…she is also experiencing a deduction even though we r d one who is calling..right now she can’t reply to our texts because she don’t have load..is the load really ranges to $28?!can I, here at Philippines give her a load?!kindly email me your answers..thank u..

Hi, we’ve come across this blog from 2 years ago and we are saddened to learn that you gained a bad impression on us because of this. If you still have any pending issue/s or concerns with Globe, you may reach us on Twitter (talk2globe) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages#!/globeph?ref=ts ), you can also email us on . We’d be more than willing to assist you. Thank you. Globe Faith

Maybe I can help to clarIfy to all. I went through the same problems as most of you so let me explain what you can do.
1. Buy Globe or Smart OFW Family Sim Pack in Phil. There will be two sim in the pack one is OFW SIM & other is FamIly SIM. Globe OFW SIM comes preactivated roaming. For the OFW sim In Singapore. Better to choose Globe. Later below will explain why. Both OFW Sim receptions are good.
2. You keep the OFW sim to bring along to Overseas. Family Sim you pass to loved ones in Phil. They must use it immediately to make sure both SIM can be used.
3. I can receive & make call & txt in Phil even using the OFW SIM but once u arrive overseas only use the OFW SIM to receive txt/SMS.
4. In Singapore & maybe in other part of the world also you buy a Globe partner Kababayan Prepaid SIM. In Singapore it’s Singtel Globe Kababayan Card. Make sure it’s the correct SIM.
5. After trying so many times. I finally choose the Globe OFW. the reason is when you use Singtel Kababayan Sim to SMS to Globe Family Sim you only pay S$0.05 just like local SMS. Your loved ones use the Family Sim to send SMS to ur Globe OFW SIM for P1 only. Your loved ones can use the txt promos in Phil to Save more.
6. Overall you will need to carry two phones or get a dual sim phone for yourself in Singapore. In Phil Only 1 SIM Is needed. And that is Globe Family SIM. Remember to keep using the Family SIM every month if not your OFW SIM will be deactivated
7. If you decide to use SMART OFW SIM. then in Singapore you will pay S$0.15 global SMS rate for SMS to smart.