Tips for Tourists: Mobile Internet Connection in Cebu

June 25, 2015 by OC Team

The internet penetration rate in the Philippines is only 40%, and only 38 million Filipinos have internet access (2015) – only 25 million of that total number access the internet via their smartphones.

Cebu is not exactly the most widely-connected city in the world. However, internet access IS available in Cebu.

FREE WI-FI

You can get free Wi-Fi connection at the Mactan Cebu International Airport waiting lounges. If not, nearly all hotel lobbies in Cebu City and most B&Bs do have Wi-Fi connection. You can get the password from the receptionist.

Lots of cafés and restaurants offer Wi-Fi connection to. They will usually post a “Free Wi-Fi” sign on their door and you can request for the password from the waiters when they take your order.

One of the cafes that offer free Wi-Fi, Cafe Noriter. Image from Cafe Noriter's Facebook Page.

SM City Cebu and some parts of Ayala Center Cebu also have free Wi-Fi connection. The downside is that the connection is incredibly, incredibly slow and it is only for a limited period only per device (1 hour).

SM City Cebu offers free Wi-Fi.

For those who need to go to the northern and southern towns and municipalities of Cebu, some buses actually offer free WiFi too.

Ceres Liner bus. Some of their buses actually offers free Wi-Fi on board. Find the signs that says "Free Wi-Fi".

INTERNET CAFES

There are so many internet cafes in Cebu that you are sure to find one in every corner – no matter how isolated it looks. You’ll be lucky to find a spot if you go there after school hours or during weekends. Kids will most likely flock these internet cafes for their weekly gaming fix, surfing or working on school assignments. I recommend going in during weekdays (and while these kids are in school). Rates are quite cheap, some even offer P10 per hour.

PREPAID DATA AND INTERNET SIM CARDS

Cebu Pacific

Cebu Pacific has also launched a FUN DATA SIM. This is a prepaid mobile SIM card especially for internet and data users. The SIM will also allow you to call and text too. Included in the SIM are:

1.5 Gb data with data speed of up to 42 Mbps

10-minute voice calls

100 local SMS

The SIM card and its inclusions is only valid for 15 days. If you run out of data or if you stay for more than 15 days, you can still use your sim card and “load it” (top-up) with any of the following SMARTBRO loads:

SMART BRO Big Bytes – 100 Mb to 5Gb data that is valid for up to 30 days

SMART BRO Flextime – 3 hours to 50 hours and valid for up to 30 days

SMART BRO LTE – Unlimited LTE internet and you can choose from 1 day to 1 month validity

For more information, visit Cebu Pacific’s website.

Globe Tattoo Prepaid Mobile Wi-Fi

Globe Telecom’s Tattoo 4G Mobile Wi-Fi includes:

Free 300 Mb worth of data

400 Mb Basic Spotify access valid for 3 days

Speed of up to 12 Mbps

You can also connect up to 10 devices.

Initial Cost: P1,495. You will need to top up when your allocated data is all used up.

Globe Tattoo LTE Prepaid SIM

If the prepaid mobile Wi-Fi is too expensive for you, or if you already have a Mobile Wi-Fi device, you can go for the Tattoo LTE Prepaid SIM. You can either use it on your tablet, your Mobile Wi-Fi device or straight to your mobile phone. You can either choose from the P40 prepaid SIM or P75 prepaid SIM:

Screengrab from Globe Telecom's website.

Smart Broadband LTE Pocket WiFi

You can use this SIM card on any device – whether your mobile phone, Mobile Wi-Fi or tablet and experience a faster internet speed of up to 42 Mbps.

Speeds up to 42 Mbps*

With free 7 days LTE unlimited Surfing

Text LTE 299 to 2200 to claim your freebie

Connects up to 10 devices

Initial Cost: PhP 4,888, but it is now currently sold at PhP 3,495.

Smart 4G Pocket WiFI with BroSIM

Or you can get the 4G Pocket Wi-Fi with the SIM card and pay only P1,495.

Smart Data Offers

Smart also has a variety of other options, some of which are:

1. All In 99