Local SIM Card Installation -
When I arrived at the Philippine airport, I gave my tablet to a Smart rep to install a local SIM card. When done, they gave me my tablet back plus the old SIM card, supposedly, a Fido SIM card. I used the tablet everyday for 30 days that I was there thinking all the while that I was using a local SIM. When I returned to Canada, I was changing back the SIM card when I realized, it was a Bell SIM but installed it anyway thinking maybe it's the same as Fido. But the tablet had no service. Had to go to the Fido store to have a Fido SIM installed.
I believe I have been scammed. My Fido bill shows roaming charges every day for all the days that I was in the Philippines! The SMART rep had taken my Fido SIM card and replaced it with a non-functioning Bell SIM and used the Fido SIM card to rack up roaming charges!
For those traveling to the Philippines and maybe any other countries --- here's my advice: buy a local SIM card but install it yourself. That way, you can be sure your native SIM is safe with you.
Shame on those SMART reps in the Philippines!!!
