It was a series of games launching the network’s “All-Net Talk” services, under its “All-In” plans, giving postpaid subscribers affordable rates on voice and SMS services to all networks.
While all were geared up in shirts, shorts and, some, in slippers that rainy Tuesday afternoon, this writer and another teammate could only wonder whether we could make it in our casual office outfits (in heels!). Though we were completely clueless that the event was going to be an amazing race, the Red Team, which I was part of, took on the challenge and finished the race with gusto.
To start off, we had a race kit containing a mobile phone, a notepad and a pen, P2,000 in cash, and handkerchiefs corresponding to the color and number of members of each team.
Calls to three numbers were to test Smart’s All-Net Talk service, which lets subscribers cut postpaid call charges in half. It included 80 minutes of calls to all networks at a rate of only P250/30 days, or a voice call rate of only at P3.12/minute, as compared to the usual P7.50 per minute.
But the rain wouldn’t stop, making it difficult for the first task of jumping on a trampoline, to enable players to pluck dangling pieces of paper where phone numbers were written down.
Then, the racers proceeded to Timezone’s dance machine for a dance showdown and racked up points, to be able to acquire mobile numbers of five friends from other networks.
This was to highlight the network’s “All-Net Text,” which cost only P350/30 days for 2,500 text messages to all networks, or only P0.14/SMS instead of the standard P1.00/text charged by other networks.
Living statue
Task 3 was at City Walk 2. We had to find a living statue, then call a friend and read out a Smart Postpaid All-Net feature, which was written on a cardboard worn by a game marshal.
Task 4 was the most fun and exciting part. Racers got to play fashion stylists, as they had to look fab in P1,200 worth of clothing. After 10 minutes, our team was done.
The next challenge was to make an international call to Hong Kong. This was to promote Smart’s IDD bundle saver, which applies local rates and has an added five minutes free call for only P200.
Then the next challenge was to guess the breed of a dog called a bull mastiff, and to locate the flag of the dog’s country of origin. Thanks to mobile surfing, we were able to find it.
After the series of tasks, the last challenge was to piece together a comparison chart. The teams had to check a postpaid bill handed out by Smart officials and compare the rates charged by other networks to Smart Postpaid’s All-Net offerings. Then, compute the amount of savings for voice calls and SMS. The result? Smart had 50-percent savings over the other networks.
“All you need is to register by typing TALK and sending it to 7577,” said Chester Velasquez, senior product manager for Smart Postpaid, of how to avail of this latest service provided by Smart.
“No need for access codes, just straight dialing,” he added.
According to Velasquez, this newest feature is a permanent service with Smart, to enhance its voice, SMS and international call services.
Data services under the Smart Postpaid All-In Plans also give the widest range of data volume on demand, from 25 MB to 2 GB.
The first three winning teams of the amazing race, the Yellow, Blue and Green teams, received mobile phones—HTC Wildfire, HTC ChaCha, Samsung netphone—for each player as prizes, while the last two teams received spa gift certificates for consolation prizes.