The whole thing here with cell phones is very very different than in America.
Usually in America, most people have a post-paid account. You know the drill. You pick a plan, usually something like 3-Unlimited GB/Mo, all the talking and all the texting that you want. Each month, you pay for the past month. If you go over your data, or do something strange, there’s an extra cost. You possibly even sign a contract and pay for a new phone on a deferred monthly basis.
Sometimes, people will have a pre-paid account. You pay before the month starts. There’s no help for a new phone, and there is also no commitment either.
Do they do it that way in the Philippines?
No, no they do not.
Is it easy
No, again. It is not at all.
If you are planning to come here, here is what you need to know, and I’ll put it in tidy bullet points.
- If your phone has a slot for a SIM card (think older Iphones), then you should first go to a market or mall, or somewhere that sells sim cards.
- If your phone does not have a slot for a SIM card, like mine (iPhone 16), then DO NOT go to a mall or market. You might have better luck than I did, but no one there had anything to sell related to an eSIM. Worse yet, someone might sell you a SIM kit that you cannot use. Here’s what you do:
– The major cell carriers are Smart and Globe (there’s a new one called Dito, too). Which one to you importantly does have to do with the area you are in. Some areas are much better for one over the other. You will want to go to their website.
– Pay for an eSIM (not the conversion kit). When you get that, follow the instructions for loading the eSIM onto your phone. - Grab a beer. It’s going to be a long day for you.
- If you are an American, do not download their app! You can’t. Trust me. It doesn’t matter what you change…well, it does. The problem is that you will create other problems potentially by doing that (like your banking app might no longer work).
- Have someone you know and trust load money onto your account. Alternatively, you can go to a store and “buy a load.” This is easy to do.
- This part, I only know for Smart (because that is what I have), but if you are using Globe, then just Google it…dial *123# —>enter on your keypad and it will enter you into an online menu.
- You can then buy the plan that you want. But be aware of the following:
– If you buy data only, then you will get data only…That’s right no calling or texting.
– If you buy calling or texting, then you will get no data at all.
– If you buy a calling plan, it might (probably) only work for cell phones. If you want to call an office phone, you can’t. - In the West, people call and text each other…not here. In fact, almost no one I know does that…at all. They all use data for apps like Messenger, Viber, Telegram, etc. They don’t text or call.
Finally, be aware that you will do most of these steps each week or each month.
You can get a post-paid cell service that is easier, but people don’t do that often, I think.
I will leave the comments open on this one, just in case someone wants to speak into this a bit.
