PrePaidGSM.net Forum (Archived)

The question is already a bit old, but I want to give an answer:

Two major GSM operators are existing: Globe and SMART. Both offer Prepaid SIM cards. 98% of the population are using Prepaid SIM's, only very few do have a Postpaid plan.

Globe belongs to SingTel (Singapore) and the Ayala Corporation, a company owned by one of the economically most influential families in the country.

SMART belongs to PLDT (Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company), a previously state owned company, which is now private and fully owned by one single person (Manuel V. Pangilinan).

Both offer Prepaid SIMs. Buying a SIM is easy. Just buy it (can be bought at nearly every corner), load it - and use it. Rates are the same for both operators, there's even no difference between Prepaid and Postpaid. Calls to abroad are fairly cheap: 0.40 US$ per minute. There are a lot of (temporary) offers for data, voice and especially SMS, mostly day-flats or several day flats, also some week and month flats. These offers are mostly temporary, might disappear and then new offers come.

Prepaid SIMs are not registered, means the phone operator doesn't know your address. This makes them easy to purchase, but makes them also some kind of "one way product". When you loose your SIM, don't expect to get a replacement. Don't expect to get much service from customer support either.

Both companies have brands, under which they offer their SIMs. Globe runs, beside the original Globe Prepaid SIM, the brand "Tatoo", but the rates and everything is the same - only difference is in the color of the SIM and the design. SMART does have even more brands than Globe, which I find quite confusing, therefore - and also because of the ownership - I would recommend Globe.

Philippines is the country of texting, means SMS is the way of communication. Don't expect someone to call you. National SMS are very cheap, people are using SMS heavily, which results in a high network load.