Globe ties up with Zong for billing services

MANILA, Philippines - Globe Telecom has entered into a partnership agreement with leading global mobile payments platform Zong to provide direct carrier-billing service to Globe subscribers.

Under the agreement, Zong will provide Globe subscribers the most convenient way to purchase virtual and digital goods in environments such as Facebook, IMVU, Gaia Online and hundreds of other digital merchant websites. Users can then quickly and easily pay for goods just by verifying their mobile phone numbers and there is no need to sign up for a service, log in, or enter any other personal data.

Zong, in turn, through its direct relationship with Globe, automatically adds the charge to the user’s mobile phone bills or deducts the amount from their prepaid credits. Zong’s service enables users to purchase virtual and digital goods in such environments as Zynga and Playfish games on Facebook, at digital merchant websites, and through mobile applications.

 “Filipinos have become more engaged in playing games in social networking sites. ‘Our subscribers can now enhance their games without the need for a credit card or a Paypal account. By simply using their Globe, TM or Tattoo mobile number, they can level up or buy in-game items, making their gaming experience more fun and rewarding,” Globe value-added services head Rina Azcuna-Siongco said.

For his part, Zong CEO and founder David Marcus noted that tens of millions of customers around the world use Zong to purchase goods. “We are proud to extend our service to the Philippines, a market that is very technology-forward and can take full advantage of the ease that Zong creates for the purchase process for online and mobile platforms,” he said.

Zong leads the mobile payments space in direct carrier relationships with a global potential reach of nearly three billion mobile customers through its network of 220 carriers that includes some of the world’s largest mobile operator groups like T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange and O2.

Over 60 percent of Zong’s payment volume is processed through these direct carrier integrations. Zong is a major player within the mobile payments market which is expected to reach over $200 billion by 2010. Zong is also the mobile payments provider for Facebook Credits and many other leading social gaming and networking platforms.