After more than a month of posting hibernation, I’m finally back online. I recently moved to a condo at The Fort and, although I have already applied for an internet connection weeks ago, until now PLDT has not contacted me for an update. I followed up my application two weeks ago and PLDT told me my internet application is still being processed. If their slow processing is an indication of how slow my internet connection will be, then I think I’m better off looking for a new internet service provider.
I could have opted for the wifi internet plans of Globe, Smart, and Sun but unfortunately wireless signal is bad in our location because of a large column in the building that blocks signals making it difficult sometimes to even make a simple cellphone call. Fixed wired internet, therefore, is my only option.
Good customer service
The good thing is when I applied for a cable connection with SkyCable, the technical people who installed my cable were ready when I asked if I could try out Sky’s Broadband internet offering. First let me commend SkyCable for an unexpectedly good customer service. When I applied, they gave me a date when their people would come. I told them I prefer the morning sked so I won’t have to wait several hours and waste time.
SM delivery problems
I got annoyed three weeks ago when I bought a cabinet from SM Department Store. SM gave me a delivery date and I told them I preferred that the unit be delivered in the morning. They said they cannot guarantee the time. “Our delivery times are from 8 am to 5 pm,” the SM staff told me several times, which means I will have to wait from 8 am until 5 pm.
True enough, I waited from 8 am until 5 pm! On said delivery date, I did not leave the house in the morning waiting for the delivery to arrive. At 1 pm, I called them several times to follow up because I don’t want to waste more time. I kept getting an assurance the delivery was “on the way.” The part that they got right was that their delivery time is until 5 pm because the delivery did arrive at 4:45 pm! Sucks! Entire day wasted on waiting. I could have asked our guards to accept the delivery on my behalf but unfortunately the guards said the condo policy restricts them from accepting big, expensive purchases.
SkyBroadband internet trial
Anyway, this post is not really about SM. Going back to the SkyCable guys, I was surprised when they were in my unit by 8:30 in the morning. After a few minutes of installation, cable was working well.
I remembered that SkyCable did offer in the past a trial run for their SkyBroadband internet so I asked if I can avail of the trial for me to see if I want to get a connection. They made a cellphone call to some agent in charge of our location and then informed me that the internet trial can be installed upon approval within 1 hour. That’s what good customer service is about. No need for me to visit a SkyCable office, no need to fill out forms, no need to wait days or weeks. Within 1 hour, my SkyBroadband trial is up and running. They told me that the trial is good for 15 days and on the 10th day, a customer service representative will call me to ask if I want to continue subscribing or not.
SpeedTest check
Now I hope I’m not beginning to sound like I’m recommending for SkyCable and SkyBroadband. I’m not doing that. In the first place, today is just the third day of my internet trial run and I cannot say for certain if Sky is indeed better compared to the current broadband offerings. In the last two days, though, connection has been fast and reliable. But then again, it’s always like that especially during the trial run right? I searched for SkyBroadband reviews online and found mostly negative comments. Common complaint was the fast connection during the trial period that will drastically drop to a minimum once you fully subscribe to them.
Using SpeedTest.net, I checked that my download speed today was 1.42 mbps. The plan I was trying out was offering up to 1.5 mbps so Sky is definitely trying to make a good impression during this trial run. I remember my previous SmartBro wifi plan offered up to 1 mbps but my connection’s average speed was stuck at 150-200 mbps.
I have no high hopes SkyBroadband’s high-speed internet will continue once I fully subscribe so I’ll update this post in the future so you can also see whether SkyBroadband, unlike PLDT or Smart, can indeed live up to their promise. If similar to what we’ve read before that SkyBroadband is just good at the start, then expect an additional negative review posted here.
Update (October 2012): Review — SmartBro vs. SkyBroadband internet
Sky Broadband has a great connection, trust me! I have been through Smart Broadband and PLDT MyDSL, both really sucks and has a really poor customer service! Also, they have terrible down times. I’ve been using Sky Broadband for 2 years now and didn’t think of switching into another, since they’re up almost 99% of the time, they are fast, they are consistent, they deliver good customer service!
Thanks for the info Haggedorn. I hope when I fully subscribe, I’ll be a satisfied SkyBroadband like you too…
mga boss… question po… unlimited po b ang Sky broadband??? unlike mga wireless broadband na may 800Mb to 1G something po??? thanks. saka Sir james, musta n po ung subscription nyo?
@facebook-100000466655529:disqus , I think may limit pa rin. Ito yung bandwidth cap nila as part of the Fair Access Policy. Halos lahat naman ng ISPs may ganun. Not sure exactly kung ano yung limit pero mararamdaman mo yun pag bumabagal na internet mo. As of today, medyo ok pa rin naman yung SkyBroadband sa akin, except may mga panahon na down siya for a few hours. Di na katulad dati na almost 100% up. Medyo dumadalas na rin yung pagbagal ng internet speed, minsan umaabot lang ng 200kbps.
I would agree that PLDT’s customer service sucks big time!
where are you located sir? PLDT has the worst customer service. i just filed a complaint against them to DTI and NTC. I hope more people would do the same to bring about real change. Sky will come over today to install my free trial. keeping my fingers crossed that this would finally be the best alternative.
taga saan po kayo? I wanted to try SKY products ksama na cable TV
Congrats on your new place!!!
Thanks! 🙂
yes. please give us update after the free trial on your connection. thanks
I definitely will. Will probably post an update 3 or 6 months after I fully subscribed to them.
Im using SkyCable now. I noticed that in the mornings, I can open websites, download faster, and watch Youtube faster as well. Then in the afternoon, it slows down. I want to have a faster broadband but what choices do we have?
Hi Saguaynit, it’s normal for the internet connection to slow down depending on the number of users in the network connected to the net. What’s just wrong is when speed drops to absurd levels. Check your net connection speed, perhaps via SpeedTest.net, and if the speed is really dismal you can complain to SkyBroadband.
Big time na sir ah!
Keep it up! Marami pang parating na biyaya!
HI javi! Ikaw ang big time! Balita ko bilyonaryo ka na diyan 🙂
hehe di naman. lam mo naman sir na ikaw ang inspiration ko. I’m not making money sa adsense as of now. More on affiliate marketing ako ngayon. I’m happy to report na I’m making as much as you were making sa adsense about 4 years ago. I’m hoping na 4 years (or less) from now, I will be making as much as you are making today. 😀 Lagi nga po kitang ibinibida sa mga kasagupa ko dito eh. Sabi ko I know somebody who earns xxxxx (syempre confidential dito) from his SINGLE website. (Sorry po pala dun sa avatar ko sa earlier comment. yan kasi ang pic na linked sa email na ginamit ko).
Congrats sa kita! And congrats on the baby too! 🙂 I’m currently revisiting affiliate marketing as well. Trying to diversify para hindi dependent sa isang source lang.
Salamat! Syemps part po kayo dun sa naging inspiration ko talaga during the $0.01 days. haha. If you want I offer my free services on affiliate marketing. May maganda akong game plan ngayon that will help hasten the income earnings. (hint: With the use of godaddy auctions) PM nyo lang po ako sa FB.
I’m thinking of changing my internet provider too. Mas mabuting maginvest sa medyo mahal kaysa mura nga pero perwesyo amg serbisyo.
Agree with you, Jay. Ok na rin ako magbayad ng mas mahal konti kaysa magtipid tapos sobrang pangit naman ng service.
bakit kailamgan magbayad ng mas mahal. sa ibamg bamsa, makakakuha ka ng internet na 6-100mbps sa halagang mababa pa sa 1k php. at walng palya ang mga wireless sa lungsod. at kahit saan ka, pareho ang signal. itong mga kumpanya sa pilipinas nagsasamantala sa kakulangan ng kaalaman at sa pangangailangan ng tao. hindi ba isinabatas na ng UN na ang pagkakaroon ng internet ay isang “karapatam”?
LOL EDI LUMIPAT KA NG BANSA ANO BA!!!! KAIRITA
subscribing to Skybroadband is the worst decision you’ll ever make. Trust me. Same goes to any Wireless offering from any operator. Based on experience, DSL line is the most stable. I have relatives with pldt, bayantel and Globe dsl. So far, bayantel and globe DSL have the most stable connection. I have tried it myself using skybroadband then Globe. Globe DSL is way much better and offers consistent speed. But their wireless offerings (WIMAX, tattoo stick) suck.
Skybroadband gave me nothing but frustrations, headaches… worst customer service. Same experience that i had with Globe WIMAX, SmartBRO.
But i agree that some might have a better experience. I guess it has something to do with your location. But why take the risk if you have a better option that can give you stable connection? napadaan lang po… pero totoong experience yan hehehe…
Thanks for sharing your SkyBroadband experience, Rene. Same with you, going wireless was not an option for me. I tried SmartBro and Globe Tattoo stick and they both sucked. SkyBroadband is fixed, wired and bundled with my SkyCable connection that’s why I was willing to give it a try. I dread the day though that it will be no better than the other sucky internet offerings. I’ll post my SkyBroadband review after 6 months. Let’s see if they are as good as they are now.
Hi James – Is your trial over? How’s the connection? Am also assessing SKY’s internet service.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Jov, yes I decided to fully subscribe to SkyBroadband. I’m now on my 2nd week and the speed seems to be still ok. It’s still above 1 mbps on average. Some people say Sky is only good during the first months so I want to try it first for the first 6 months before publishing another review.
So how is it now? Still over 1mbps?
hey Sir moderator, 3-4 months using Sky broadband, how was it? still going well? i’ve applied for PLDT MyDSL about two months ago. I haven’t heard from them. They keep assuring me that they’ll process my application. I guess they never did.
Hi kesse, I was indeed thinking of posting an updated review of SkyBroadband after using their service for 3 months now. I’ll post my review tomorrow. But the summary is I’m still satisfied with their service. Details in my Sky Broadband review post tomorrow.
Sky Broadband may show high speeds but the quality is still at “C” level. Not stable.
Hi James, How’s the SkyBroadband? is it still okay?
James, I’m planning to apply skybroadband.. but I’m still bothered with the blogs. my pldt Dsl application has been cancelled. I want to know how is skybroadband?thank you very much
I have a question. What will they do in my house when I call them to install the broadband? What would be there protocol? Thanks
I’ve been with SkyBroadband for 3 months and I definitely agree with Rene, Skybroadband sucks. It’s been 5 days since i reported the problem with their very slow upload speed, it’s almost zero.. they never responded to my (tons of) complaints via e-mail and text. They have the worst customer service when it comes to solving problems and handling complaints. I’m subscribed to a 3Mbps plan (2000 pesos) but since day 1, I was never satisfied with their service. If you guys have better options, go with DSL Plans. I’m just sad that in my area, no DSL slots are available so I end up subscribing to this sh*t skybroadband.
doon po sa buwanang bayad nyu wala na po bang MSF fee iyon? Sir
i have different experience with skycable which by the way has nothing to do with the sky because the signal creeps in by cable: skycablephilippines.blogspot.com
This is my exact letter to sky customer service
Hi,
I availed of the free trial but I didn’t like the service and I wanted to get my deposit. I am so disappointed with your service since I am the one who have to pick up my deposit and deliver the modem to your office! What kind of service do you have? I will be posting this comment to blogs so they can think about many times before availing of that free trial. I’m really pissed off with the kind of service you have.
take my advise guys. never ever take sky broadband, im just a new subscriber about 4 months ago, and guess what you only get great connection in the 1st month and succeeding month will give you stress and headache, i did call them to check it got 2 visits from the tech w/c btw takes 2weeks to get to my house and what theyll just do is do speed check run ping check in cmd, but never to fix the problem that ive got. trust me on this one,, i regret getting this isp. it really sucks!!!!. again never take SKY BB as your ISP!!!
Maybe this just depends on your location Dito sa amin ayos naman ang speed pero nawawala yung connection minsan. (actually kapitbahay ko yun at nakiki-wifi lang ako sa kanila hehehehe)
BAD EXPERIENCE WITH SKYBROADBAND / SKYCABLE
SkyCable has no customer service to speak of. Let me report that I have the same
experience as Sheila Mae Concepcion. Last June 24, 2013 I availed of the free 15-day trial of Sky Broadband, having been informed by the technician who came to our house that at the end of the trial period SkyCable or its contractors will pull out the modem and return the Php2,000 deposit. Since I was not impressed with the speed when I compare it to PLDT, on July 8 I called SkyCable to request discontinuance of the trial.
Pull out of the modem was scheduled on Monday, July 15, 2013, as per my conversation with telesales representative Christina. On that day, nobody from the company came or called.
The next week I followed up and was promised that the pull out will be rescheduled to July 29. I begin to get irritated but give lousy SkyCable the benefit of the doubt. July 29
came and went but still no one from this lousy cable company came or called.
On August 5 I made another call to the lousy cable company and was told by agent Alex that the pull out will again be rescheduled to August 30–THAT’S 46 WORKING DAYS (from the date of first request) TO RETRIEVE A MODEM! Worse than that, Alex repeatedly advised me to just bring the modem to the lousy cable company’s main
office in Ortigas Center, which is a 90-minute commute from my residence
(one way) on any weekday. As of Sept. 1, 2013, no one, absolutely no
one, from the lousy cable company has come to retrieve the modem and
return my Php2,000 deposit.
Here’s the warning to prospective subscribers of SkyBroadband:
1. WHEN YOU DISCONTINUE YOUR FREE TRIAL, CONTRARY TO WHATEVER MAY BE PROMISED, EXPECT TO RETURN THE MODEM AND CLAIM THE REFUND OF YOUR DEPOSIT AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE, INCONVENIENCE, AND TIME.
2. DO NOT TRUST ANY VERBAL OFFER OR PROMISE COMING FROM LOUSY SKYCABLE. Always insist on a written guarantee.
3. MY EXPERIENCE WITH SKYCABLE SHOWS THAT THE COMPANY COULD’T CARE LESS ABOUT ITS SUBSCRIBERS. If in the future you encounter problems with their service or equipment, prepare for a response that will surely frustrate you.
I hope this post will give you sufficient idea of what to expect when subscribing to SkyCable or SkyBroadband.
My unending and ongoing bad experience with Sky Broadband. I’m using Sky Broadband now and Sky broadband is always going offline, getting disconnected. I would have no internet for 14 hours to a day or 2 and sometimes up to 3 days with no internet! Their customer support is bad too. Their concierge is useless! It’s so hard to contact them and they never call you even if you have sent them several report and help messages. They will always reply saying thank you for your message and that they will call within 2 hours but they never do. Sometimes they will ring your cellphone for just half a ring and then hang up or drop the call so you won’t have a chance to answer their call. That’s so they can say in their report that they called you. You have to wait for their technicians the whole day from 9am to 6pm if ever they come at all. And if they do come, sometimes they are able to bring back the Internet which takes them 3 hours but they are also calling their office to help them which they are also having a hard time to contact. Sometimes they are not able to fix the problem and say it is a problem with their system. They will refer it to their engineering. And when they do give you back your internet, when they leave, after 2 hours you would go offline again. And the pattern continues. The continuing saga of the online and days of offline of Sky Broadband’s very poor internet service. Very Stressful, time consuming and disappointing. Any feedback on globe home broadband and pldt home dsl? Any feedback also on globe home fibre optic broadband and pldt home fibre optic broadband? I’m looking for another ISP so I can switch. Sky Broad band sucks! You will waste your money with Sky broadband. It’s really bad.
I know this website gives quality based posts and other data, is there any other web site which gives such things
in quality?
So, how is your Sky Broadband nowadays?
Due to a recent very bad and agonizing experience with Globe (of whom I had been a DSL and landline customer for 8 years now), I decided to switch to another ISP. Unfortunately, PLDT Fibr is not yet available in our condo (and its DSL plans are no good at all), nor is Converge ICT.
The other remaining alternative is Sky (of whom I had been a cable customer for 12 years now), but there’s just a ton of negative reviews that they will basically stop you on your tracks. I’m not willing to take the risk/plunge with Sky because if they turn out to be a crappy ISP, the pre-term penalty is that you have to pay the remainder of your lock-in MSP (so if after a month you decide you don’t want Sky, you’ll have to pay the remaining 23 months!). On the other hand, I have a friend from a nearby condo who said that his experience with Sky broadband had been satisfactory so far (many months now)–connection and speed are stable and consistent with what’s stipulated in their contract.
So, I really don’t know. What do you think guys?
It seems like none of the broadband providers here in Philippines are any good (Globe, PLDT and Sky). Converge has very limited coverage. So where does that leaves us? Which is the best among the worse?
I am moving into a townhouse in Clemente Subd in San Agustin, Novaliches. I’m looking for recommendations for unlimited broadband plans around 20Mbps speed. My first criteria is unlimited data cap and it appears only Converge, Sky and PLDT have unli plans. My second criteria is reliability, which I am afraid I do not have a whole lot of confidence in Philippines.
P.S. I am a Singaporean living in Philippines.
Had problems with PLDT since they said that they will be able to fix my connection not until the 15th, and need internet connection ASAP.
Any feedbacks on the stability of the connection? also what is their current guarantee with the connection and bandwidth?
try to review the services of http://www.ixs.ph
i heard good reviews about them.
I think they offer corporate internet only
but pure dedicated fiber internet.
I’m not a resident of the Philippines I live in Florida. That being said I’ve been here on an extended stay. And the only reason I am posting is; because one day I was using a friend’s PC. And it was extremely slow and I asked him. ” I’m not being nosey of your personal life, but out of curiosity, how much do you pay per month for Internet service? ” I almost fell in the floor. So that prompted me to do some research. Sky offers up to 64mbps for 3,999 pesos. In Florida I have 250 Mbps 400+ channels free calls to Canada, Mexico, and some other places I forgot including China for some reason. Free Netflix and a few more extras I forget. For $69.99 or 3,738.55 pesos per month. The next speed they were offering at the time was 2,000 Mbps. Most of that I don’t need, but like a lot of people I submitted to sales pressure just to get signed up and the process started so I would have service. Another thing I’ve learned is you all pay right at twice per kilowatt hour as the Electric Company I use in Florida.
I’m by no means bragging trust me the Electric company in Florida is charging as much as possible at to the Internet company. The electric company price’s are held down by regulation’s. The Internet company prices are low due to competition. I’m not a Filipino so I don’t want to get into the politics of your country. In fact I was really oblivious to how thing’s worked here. Until I watched the Congress here on television. My impression is it seems they stay bogged down in personal attack’s and defending said attack’s. All in an attempt to retain power. Much like the U.S. Congress although the U.S. Congress is less petty. If their going to stall and obstruct it’s going to be big not talking on the floor or accusing other Rep’s or Senators of drug dealing and sexual affairs. That’s something the American taxpayer’s won’t put up with very long. Even though their trying it now with Trump. Well what I’m trying to say they play and we suffer. It seems here and there. And sometimes I feel the U.S. has seen it’s best day’s and it’s all downhill from here. Well I have gotten completely off subject sort of.
What I’m trying to get to is from what I have observed here. A lot of thing’s here are unfair to the average citizens mainly price’s. Supermarket price’s are not that much different than the US price’s for food especially a place like Walmart there even lower. And Americans make much more and are paying the same and in some cases lower price’s on thing’s just required to live. Housing is the only thing I’ve seen to be much lower here overall. Except in Dumaguete and Cebu where just the presence of foreigners are causing home prices to rise above most of the natives affordability. I was hoping to get away from white people lol even though I’m white. But got to Dumaguete City and found too many concentrated in this area. And the worst ones the west has to offer it seems. It’s like all the Western cities sent their village idiot’s here. And some of the thing’s they do and their attitudes would not be tolerated in their home countries.
Well anyhow I hope thing’s change here for the people of the Philippines and more competition is allowed in. And somehow lawmakers are added that are not tied in some way to existing businesses who work as incognito operatives of those companies. The USA has some of the same problems, but not to the extent as here or maybe it’s more noticeable here, because the Philippines is smaller. I really hope so I have a lot of friend’s here that are great people and deserve better.
Well sorry I got off topic and said thing’s about thing’s I said I didn’t want to get into.
I like the part “It’s like all the Western cities sent their village idiot’s here”. lols
ANY feedback on the new unli fiber of SKYBROADBAND? That is the five mbps speed.. 09269900914 https://www.facebook.com/sam.bel.3726
any feed back for sky broadband 999? that is 5mbps, ok po ba to?