racoma.com.phJ. Angelo Racoma on technology, economics, writing, problogging, and getting things done

I was quite surprised with Abe’s latest post, where he shares that PLDT DSL is bundling in WiFi access with their plans. High-end plans get it free, while lower-end ones have to pay PhP 99 per month (promo price; regular price is PhP 199 per month) for unlimited access via AirborneAccess.

I was thinking of asking someone with PLDT DSL or even Smart BRO since my unlimited AA account has already run out.

But then I checked Bayantel’s promo page, and I discovered they’re offering a similar service. You just have to add PhP 99 to your DSL subscription monthly to get unlimited AirborneAccess access. This is good for 12 months, then afterwards the rate will be PhP 199.

That’s just an additional ~ $2 per month. Not bad! If you have to pay prepaid, then PhP 100 is just good for one hour!

This is great for us mobile workers/telecommuters. I used to enjoy unlimited WiFi much, since I sometimes worked at WiFi-enabled cafes instead of just staying at my home office. Since my unlimited account expired, I just used prepaid those few times I get to access at WiFi-enabled cafes.

AA reload is quite expensive compared to these bundled packages. I believe a month’s subscription will set you back PhP 950. A six month reload is PhP3,500, while a year’s reload is PhP 6,500. With these PhP 99 services, a year’s worth of unlimited access will just be PhP 1,118! Even if you make it PhP 199 per month, that’s just PHP 2,388 per year!

Now if they could just also hook up with Globe. Some areas are Globe WIZ only, like Greenbelt, Glorietta, etc. Count on the Ayalas to set up a WiFi monopoly in their territory!

A salesperson gave me two cards for free while I was surfing at a local cafe a couple of weeks ago. Thing is, I have an unlimited Airborne Access account good until next year. So I thought of keeping it just in case I find someone to give it to, or for some reason I need to connect using prepaid.

But I just realized recently that expiry will be today, April 30th, 2006! They’ll be good for about 23 hours from now.

So whoever wants them, please do email me by posting a comment below (WordPress will automatically notify me), or send me and SMS (my number’s posted at my sidebar) and I’ll give the first two to contact me the login details.

The cards are worth PhP 300 each, and are good for up to five hours WiFi access (not necessarily contiguous) at any Airborne Access hotspot.