With both Globe and Converge offering their flavors of prepaid fiber nowadays, it’s a little odd that we haven’t heard of a similar offering from the market leader, PLDT. Well, PLDT does have prepaid Fiber, but it’s not the type of prepaid Fiber you want to be eligible for, at least as of press time.

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This one was discovered by someone on Reddit, who noticed a new option in 171 via Smart that references prepaid fiber in the second layer of the options menu after pressing 1. Apparently this was a feature silently rolled out by PLDT’s Sagip Department, which allows delinquent postpaid users with outstanding balances to temporarily become prepaid users. This prepaid option for PLDT is only valid for 6 months.

You get several “plans” to restore your internet while you’re figuring out a way to pay your unpaid balance, though whatever speeds you had in place will be downgraded to 20Mbps while you’re on PLDT’s prepaid plan.

You also don’t get a lot of payment options for the prepaid plan, since you’re essentially getting only 3 tiers – 7 days of internet for Php 499, 15 days of internet for Php 899, and 30 days of internet for Php 1,499.

PLDT offering a last-ditch, prepaid fiber plan to delinquent postpaid users makes a lot of sense since these customers already have the equipment and lines in place and there’s no cost in extending them internet connectivity via a prepaid option while they figure out a way to them settle their bill. Sometimes life happens and you are unable to meet obligations on time, so this is a good move from them.

But we’re still wondering why PLDT still hasn’t released their take on pre-paid WiFi. There’s a market for it as seen by the popularity of the offerings from Globe and Converge ICT. PLDT’s size and expertise as far as home fiber goes will go a long way in providing the two other providers with the competition that all Pinoys will ultimately benefit from.