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How to Load Your Globe or Smart Pocket Wi-Fi (2025 Guide)

Running out of data? Here's the latest and easiest way to reload your Pocket Wifi

You know the feeling: the Zoom call is rolling, your pocket Wi-Fi has been a champ all afternoon, and then—ping!—“No data balance.” It’s the tech equivalent of a motorcycle stalling at a green light. But topping up doesn’t have to be a frantic scramble. In 2025, loading a Globe MyFi or Smart Bro hotspot is almost as quick as ordering milk tea (no sugar, extra pearls, obviously). Below is a down-to-earth guide to every practical way of re-fueling your pocket Wi-Fi, whether you’re clutching a power bank in a bus terminal or chilling on the couch with your phone in hand. Ready? Let’s make sure that dreaded “No data” notification never ruins your day again.


Editor

Lloyd Kelly Miralles chevron_right

Lloyd Miralles is an accomplished writer and editor at ProductNation.co. Before joining ProductNation.co, he worked as a junior jo ...

The Quick-Glance Cheat Sheet

Loading Method

Best For

Gear Needed

Rough Time

E-wallet (GCash, Maya, ShopeePay)

Anyone with a smartphone

Phone + e-wallet app

< 1 min

Telco App (GlobeOne / Smart GigaLife)

Frequent promo hunters

Phone + registered SIM

1 – 2 min

USSD Codes

When you’ve no data left at all

Spare phone with hotspot SIM

1 min, text-only

Load Card / E-PIN

Cash payments, no apps

Card + phone to send the code

2 – 3 min

Share-A-Load / Pasaload

Borrowing a friend’s balance

A willing donor

30 sec

Auto-Load (recurring)

“Set-and-forget” users

Telco app or retailer setup

One-time setup

(Globe and Smart follow the same general playbook—just swap in the matching app or code where noted.)


Method 1: The E-Wallet Two-Tap (GCash, Maya, ShopeePay)

  1. Open your e-wallet app.
  2. Hit “Load” or “Buy Load.”
  3. Punch in the pocket-Wi-Fi’s number—check the SIM casing or dial *#06# in a phone if you forgot it.
  4. Choose a data promo or a raw peso amount. Popular bundles:
  • Globe: HomeSURF199 (23 GB 30 days), GO+ 149 (15 GB + 8 GB freebies)
  • Smart: UnliData999 (30-day unlimited on select devices), GigaPower199 (16 GB + 20 GB apps)
  • Confirm payment, wait for a text saying “You’ve successfully purchased…”—done.

Why it rocks: Works over Wi-Fi, LTE, or even 3 G. Receipts live in the app, so expense reporting is painless.

Pro tip: Add the pocket-Wi-Fi number to your app’s Favorites so next time you only tap once.


Method 2: Telco Apps—GlobeOne and Smart GigaLife

Both telcos poured serious love into their all-in-one apps. Besides loading, you can check data balance, redeem loyalty points, and schedule auto-loads.

GlobeOne

  1. Log in with the hotspot’s number (scan the SIM barcode if it supports eSIM).
  2. Tap “Buy Promos.”
  3. Pick a Go, HomeSURF, or GoUnli package.
  4. Pay via GCash, debit card, or Globe Rewards.

Smart GigaLife

  1. Sign in (you’ll get an OTP on the hotspot; check SMS inbox in the app or Web UI).
  2. Tap “Store” → “Load.”
  3. Choose UnliData, GigaPower, or Money-based Load.
  4. Pay with Maya, credit/debit, or Smart Points.

Why it rocks: The app reminds you when the promo is about to expire and lets you stack another in advance.

Pro tip: Both apps now let you schedule recurring loads—ideal if you always need UnliData999 on the first of every month. Set it, forget it.


Method 3: USSD Codes—Old School, Still Handy

Globe

  1. Insert the hotspot’s SIM in any phone (even a ₱400 feature phone).
  2. Dial *143#.
  3. Navigate 4 ➜ 1 ➜ your data promo (menu numbers change—read the screen).
  4. Confirm; you’ll get a success SMS.

Smart

  1. Slot SIM into a phone.
  2. Dial *123#.
  3. Select “UnliData” or “Other Offers.”
  4. Pick a promo → Send → wait for SMS.

Why it rocks: You can load even when the hotspot is totally out of data and you can’t open an app.

Pro tip: Keep a tiny backup phone in your tech pouch—perfect emergency loader.


Method 4: Load Cards and E-PINs—Cash Is Still King

  1. Buy a physical load card (₱100 – ₱1 000) at 7-Eleven, Ministop, or sari-sari.
  2. Scratch to reveal the 14- or 16-digit PIN.
  3. Text the format below from the hotspot SIM (again, in any phone):

Telco

Format

Example

Globe

LOAD <PIN> to 8080

LOAD 12345678901234

Smart

1510 <PIN> <Smart#> to 1510

1510 12345678901234 09191234567

You’ll get a confirmation SMS; then subscribe to a promo via app or USSD.

Why it rocks: Perfect for cash-only situations or parents who hand kids printed pins instead of GCash.


Method 5: Share-A-Load / Pasaload—Tapping a Friend’s Balance

Globe “Share-A-Load”

  1. Friend texts SHARE <10-digit number> <amount> to 2 443.
  2. They confirm with YES to a validation text.

Smart “Pasaload”

  1. Friend texts PASALOAD <11-digit number> <amount> to 808.
  2. They approve via the prompt.

Limits: ₱2–150 per transaction, multiple sends allowed. Standard ₱1 fee on Smart.

Why it rocks: Instant rescue when you’re stranded in a signal dead zone with a load seller in sight but no cash.


Method 6: Auto-Load—Zero Brain-Space Required

Both GlobeOne and Smart GigaLife now let you toggle Auto-Load:

  1. Choose a promo (say, UnliData999).
  2. Tap “Set as recurring.”
  3. Pick renewal interval (7, 15, 30 days).
  4. Confirm with your payment method.

Alternatively, authorized retailers can tag your number for auto-load; it fires on a set date and you pay via GCash request or in person.

Why it rocks: Ideal for remote teams or online sellers who must be live 24/7. No more “Oops, forgot to reload.”


Troubleshooting: When the Load Won’t Land

Situation

Try This First

SMS says “successful,” but no data

Reboot the hotspot or toggle Airplane Mode twice. Sometimes the APN needs a gentle kick.

Wrong promo loaded

Telcos rarely reverse; instead, they add the correct promo. Some (Smart UnliData) override lower tiers automatically.

USSD code won’t send

SIM might be locked to data-only. Insert into a phone that supports voice/SMS; disable “data only” in the carrier settings.

Can’t receive OTP in the telco app

Open the hotspot web UI → Inbox. OTPs arrive there even if your phone’s Messages app stays silent.

E-wallet payment failed

Check if the wallet’s daily spending cap has reset. Maya, for example, caps basic accounts at ₱50,000/month.



Loading Promos Worth Bookmarking (May 2025)

Telco

Go-To 30-Day “Big Bucket”

Every day “Just Enough”

Globe

HomeSURF299 – 45 GB, shareable

Go50 – 5 GB + unlimited text, 3 days

Smart

UnliData999 – unlimited data

GigaPower99 – 6 GB, 7 days

Globe

Go+ 400 – 65 GB mixed use

Surf4All99 – 9 GB shared, 7 days

Smart

GigaVideo549 – 28 GB + unli YouTube

All-Data50 – 2 GB, 3 days

(Promo menus change quarterly—always check the GlobeOne or GigaLife app for the freshest bundles.)


Conclusion

Loading a Globe or Smart pocket Wi-Fi in 2025 is a choose-your-own-adventure:

  • Need instant speed? Telco apps and e-wallets are your express lane.
  • No data, no app? USSD still works like a charm.
  • Cash-only barangay? Load cards haven’t left the chat.
  • Chronic forgetter? Auto-load is your best friend.

The trick is to pick one method you can do with your eyes half-closed—and a backup for rainy-day emergencies. Now over to you: What’s your go-to loading hack? Do you swear by GCash, stick a ₱300 load card in your wallet, or lean on that one friend who always has extra balance?

End of Article