Running Balance in Smart Unlimited Data Plans

Question from a reader:

Hi,i am subscribed to unli data plan 2000. When i checked my bill via sms, it says current balance 0.00, previous balance 0.00, running balance 431.02, credit limit 8000. What is runnning balance? Is this an additional charge? Thanks

The running balance is not an additional charge. It is a computation of your monthly usage, and it included in the running balance the free SMS and minutes.

For example, with your plan, Smart Unli Data Plan 2000. The plan comes with:

- 150 minutes of calls to all networks

- 200 minutes of SMS to all networks

For usage beyond these limits you will be charged as follows:

- For calls beyond 150 minutes, Php5.09 for calls within the Smart network and Php6.11 for calls to other networks

- Php0.51 for SMS exceed 200.

- MMS and IDD charges

If in the current month you used 

100 minutes of calls, 50 minutes to Smart and 50 minutes to other networks and sent out 300 SMS you running balance would look like this:

-50 minutes x Php5.09 = Php254.5

-50 minutes x Php6.11 = Php306

- 300 SMS x 0.51 = Php156

TOTAL ("running balance") = Php716.5

You will only pay a portion of this:

-100 minutes of calls LESS 150 free minutes = Php0

-300 SMS - 200 SMS = 100 SMS. 100 SMS x Php0.51 per SMS = Php51

So in this example:

- Running balance = Php716.5

- Charges over free usage = Php51

- Monthly bill = Php2051

I hope this helps.