Smart WiFi wondering

I’ve been poking around Smart WiFi lately. My interest, as usual, is how it can be used to bring technology to the people.

Smart WiFi is a new service of Smart telecommunications that delivers Internet to users without the need for telephone lines.

Here’s what I’ve found out so far about Smart WiFi.

• Smart WiFi is not WiFi. But a techie Smart WiFi user has suggested on the ph-mobiletech yahoogroups that Smart WiFi may in fact be using WiFi within the network but not for delivery of Internet to the end-user.
• Smart WiFi can deliver internet speeds of 128 Kbps Mbps – twice that of the regular dial-up speeds.
• To get Smart WiFi, a user will need to have a clear line of sight to a Smart cellsite. If a tree gets in the way of the line of sight, the internet connection suffers.
• Smart WiFi is initially being deployed outside Metro Manila
• You don’t need to be a Smart subscriber to get Smart WiFi
• Introductory price of around P788 per month and plus around P1,000 installation fee.
• Installation fee includes an antenna on the residence or building roof that is pointed to the nearest Smart cellphone tower.

Some thoughts:

• I’m excited about this technology because it theoretically can deliver last mile Internet access to any island in our archipelago that has a Smart cellsite. And that means almost everywhere in the country (even in the Kalayaan group of islands!).
• As expected, we are hearing some complaints from early adopters of Smart WiFi. Some are complaining about poor customer service and basic lack of awareness of Smart staff about the facts of the service. I say that this is expected because I have come to understand that new services are difficult to disseminate to a large bureaucracy like Smart. It will take some time before their customer service representatives will gain enough knowledge to sufficiently support Smart WiFi inquiries from customers.
• I’m excited about connecting remote areas of the Philippines with Smart WiFi. If, in the past, the requirements to bring internet access to an area were: electricity and telephone lines, now these are no longer prerequisites! Now we can bring internet access to Cuyo Palawan, where there are no telephone lines!
• I was wondering why there wasn’t much talk about Smart WiFi, considering that it is a technology that can change the game of providing Internet access. Well, the online discussions on Smart WiFi are gaining ground.
• Ooops, almost forgot. I feel it’s a disservice that the service was named WiFi. It just adds to the confusion in this already confused country.

In the meantime, I’m on the lookout for feedback from Smart WiFi subscribers.

Ka edong

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