Facebook founder and CEO Mark
Zuckerberg keynotes this year’s Mobile World Congress with the theme “Creating
What’s Next”. Zuckerberg is joined by renowned technology journalist David
Kirkpatrick, author of "The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the
Company that is Connecting the World".
In his speech, Zuckerberg’s shared
his vision of a connected world through his pioneering project Internet.org
which was launched last year. Zuckerberg showcases Facebook’s partnership with
Philippine mobile operator Globe Telecom, the first in the world to provide
Free Facebook access to its millions of customers.
“Internet.org is a partnership,
it’s an industry coalition working together to make the internet and the
different parts of it more efficient. For everyone to have access to it for a
really affordable price or free is the real goal for basic internet services.
In the Philippines, for example, we’ve been working with Globe, and what we’ve
seen in the Philippines is the number of people who are using internet and data
has doubled. It’s a homerun, it’s going really well. We delivered this product,
where basically, in partnership with them [Globe], there’s free basic services
with upsells. We’re starting off with Facebook and Messenger, the next version
we’re going to do is more basic services,” shared Zuckerberg in his keynote.
Internet.org is a global
collaboration among technology leaders, nonprofit organizations, local
communities and experts who are working together to bring the internet to the
vast majority of the world’s population.
Sharing
tools, resources and best practices, Internet.org partners will explore
solutions in three major opportunity areas: affordability, efficiency and
business models. The Philippines
became a test bed for Zuckerberg’s vision, brought to life through leading
telecommunications company Globe Telecom offering free Facebook access to its
over 38 million customers, in close partnership with Silicon Valley-based
Facebook engineers.
“Once again, Globe has proven that
it is the mobile data service provider of choice by industry and technology
leaders around the world with this breakthrough partnership with Facebook to
give our customers uninterrupted, seamless, and worry-free Free Facebook
experience. This is collaboration at its peak, which has resulted in the best
and most innovative Free Facebook experience yet,” said Peter Bithos, Chief
Operating Advisor at Globe Telecom.
Available
to all Globe Telecom customers using feature phones and smartphones and
accessing either through the mobile site of Facebook or the Facebook app, users
can post, like, comment, chat, add friends, upload photos, share posts, and
more on Facebook without the need for Wi-Fi services.
Aside from offering Facebook at
zero data charges, the collaboration between the two global companies has also
paved the way for Globe to put together innovation that covers key milestones
in the customer experience journey such as availability of access on feature
phones and smartphones across all Facebook mobile platforms whether via the
Facebook app or the m.facebook.com; proactive notification if the customer will
incur data charges once a link that leads out of Facebook is clicked; and
one-click registration to the data plan of choice to continue browsing without
having to leave the site. Recommended data plans consider a subscriber’s
available prepaid balance and/or megabytes (MB) balance of existing data plan.
Bithos
added, “The
engineering, business development and marketing teams at both Globe and
Facebook have worked together to plan and design the customer experience from
scratch. This service testifies how Globe is transforming itself beyond just an
access carrier. Globe is striving to be a leading digital brand catering to the
needs of digital Filipinos who need to be connected to their social circles
around the world, sharing Mark and Facebook’s advocacy to bring the Internet
closer to more individuals and empower them with an easy, reliable, and
worry-free connection at the comfort of their mobile phone.”
Moreover, those customers who don’t
have enough prepaid load can “loan” a 10MB data plan for only US$0.23 cents or
P10.00 which will be deducted on their succeeding top-up so they can fully
explore content outside Facebook, making the experience seamless and
worry-free.
The Free Facebook service, which
was initially offered for three (3) months paved the way for the Philippine
telecom company to double its mobile data user base. Mobile browsing and other
data revenues also increased to P11.6 billion as of end-2013, up 42% from P8.2
billion in 2012.
The offer also formed part of the
company’s mobile data strategy to grow the number of users who access the
Internet on their mobile phones, as well as provide a seamless customer
experience with service innovations that address the fear of mobile internet.
Now, more than 1% of Facebook users worldwide are using Free Facebook on Globe.
Citing
strong demand and customer take-up for one of its biggest promos to date, Globe
Telecom is extending its Free Facebook offer until April 30, 2014.
This is a good news. With such partnership, expansion of 4G coverage is inevitable. I also wonder how this initiative will shape Filipino culture in the future. Oh well, time will tell. Thanks for this helpful info.
ReplyDeleteThat is so nice that he chose to venture out in the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about this information but i'm glad that Mark seen what's Filipino talents have.
ReplyDeleteWell, if that's what they wanted for the Philippines and apply the technology for Globe, the better. Great article!
ReplyDeleteI read an article that Filipino's are big into social media so I'm not surprised with the big success and the Globe Telecom to extend its free Facebook offer.It's a business and a huge success.
ReplyDeleteThabks to Mark, my bff for 20 years can now chat in her mobile and I'm on my laptop :-) Rekindling our friendship through Facebook is amazingly fantastic. She lives in Manila and am NY. Distance is not a hindrance for friendship :-)
ReplyDeleteoh wow, if Globe would offer zero data charges for FB, I should ask my father to really install and use FB in his phone, haha!
ReplyDeleteThis is great news for everyone back home :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat news to all Globe subscribers. Filipino culture is defined with how we connect with each other and Facebook became an important part of that.
ReplyDeleteReally great news for those who use Globe Telecom as they can use Facebook for free on their mobile! I have noticed that they keep on extending the deadline. It might be better if they can just make it permanent. :)
ReplyDeleteI have been a Globe subscriber since I got my very first cellphone. I have never been disappointed with their service. Service collaboration is a good thing because the end consumers are always the ones who benefit the most.
ReplyDeleteI am a globe subscriber and happy to be one... my son is enjoying the free facebook on his smartphone!
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