Best BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) provider in the Philippines
A BlackBerry mobile phone requires a BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) subscription to activate BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), browse the internet, and use applications that require a network connection when Wi-Fi is unavailable. In the Philippines, two major telecommunications providers offer BIS: Globe Telecom and Smart Communications. Sun Cellular also provides BIS, but its performance is similar to Smart Communications since they share base stations. The question now is: which network performs better?
To compare the two, I subscribed to their unlimited BIS plans worth 599 pesos per month: BB MAX for Globe Telecom and BB MONTH for Smart Communications. With these subscriptions, I was able to browse the internet, check and update my Facebook and Twitter accounts, send emails, chat via BBM, and use other applications that require mobile data connectivity.
Using my BlackBerry Bold 9790, I tested both BIS providers in several major locations in the Philippines: Manila, Davao City, Cebu City, Ormoc City, Butuan City, Surigao City, Cagayan de Oro City, and Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Here’s what I found.
When browsing the internet, Globe Telecom loaded web pages faster than Smart Communications, which often failed to display pages completely. In terms of sending and receiving emails, Globe also delivered smoother performance compared to Smart. For BBM chats, Smart did not perform as well as Globe; messages frequently failed to send and had to be resent multiple times. Finally, when using applications such as Facebook and Twitter, Globe loaded photos and news feeds more quickly than Smart.
Based on these observations, I can say that Globe Telecom was, at that time, the better BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) provider in the Philippines.
