April 6, 2003

The country’s leading group of mobile phone users today warned consumers of an impending change in the balance inquiry services of Smart Communications which it dubbed “simple deceptive” and “another classic case of highway robbery by big fat companies.”

Referring to an obscure announcement on the Smart website, TXTPower said that “in less than a month, what is now a toll-free call to 1515 for balance inquiries would not be free anymore. The greedy Smart company will start charging P1.00 for every balance inquiry.”

The announcement on the Smart website says that starting May 1, 2003, calls to 1515 would cost P1.00 per inquiry. Meanwhile, it said that “balance inquiries through text would be free.”

But according to a Smart Customer Care attendant named Sunshine, all balance inquiries either through 1515 or through text would be charged P1.00 just the same as TXTPower warns “wala na yata talagang toll-free!”

“Smart has obviously reneged on its responsibility to inform subscribers. Neither has the company placed ads on the newspapers, TV or radio stations,” said TXTPower convenor Anthony Ian M. Cruz.

“By apparently hiding this important change, Smart seems to be preparing to dupe unsuspecting subscribers who, after May 1, would still call 1515 and thereby lose precious prepaid credits,” Cruz added.

The TXTPower spokesperson asserts that “consumers have a right to have a toll-free way of knowing the balance of their prepaid credits.”

“Well, if we don’t stop this scam, Smart might soon charge us for calling *888,” Cruz adds, referring to the company’s currently toll-free customer service hotline.

TXTPower said that Smart is “cashing in on plain deception, confusion on Filipinos who are currently reeling from the effects of the US war on Iraq and the economic crisis. Sila lang naman ang tumatabo ng tubo.”

Cruz cast aside claims by Smart that the plan to charge P1.00 to calls to 1515 is “an enhancement.”

“This is an unwanted change since it will only be an added burden to Smart’s high call rates. If Smart wants an enhancement, it might as well lower its call and text rates considering that the company has been reaping billions in net income and revenue.”

Smart’s net income increased by 74% from P3.5-billion in 2001 to P6.3-billion in 2002. Its revenues went up from P24-billion to P33-billion. Rival Globe Telecoms said its revenues grew 29% to P45.8 billion last year from PhP35.4 billion the prior year. Its net income for 2002 was P6.8-billion, up by 58.14% from P4.3 billion in 2001.

Reference:
Anthony Ian M. Cruz
Cell. No. 0918-9234311
Email: txtpower[at]hotmail[dot]com
E-group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/txtpower

Last Modified : April 26th, 2003
Filed under : News
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