Globe Telecom has partnered with Japanese telecommunications company KDDI Corporation to explore new mobile services and retail formats in the Philippines as the Ayala-led operator seeks additional revenue streams beyond connectivity.
The agreement brings Globe closer to another major Japanese telco group. Rival PLDT has maintained a long-standing partnership with Japan’s NTT Group, whose units NTT Docomo and NTT Communications are also major PLDT shareholders. PLDT and NTT Communications have previously collaborated on enterprise cloud, network and data center services.
Globe said its initial work with KDDI would focus on expanding its retail presence and changing the role of its physical stores as more transactions move to digital channels.
The company rationalized parts of its store network two years ago in response to customers’ growing use of online services.
Under the new initiative, Globe and KDDI will study how stores can provide sales, guidance and customer support alongside digital channels.
“Globe has always believed that growth goes hand in hand with elevating our over-all customer experience philosophy,” Globe president and CEO Carl Cruz said.
“This strategic partnership with KDDI gives us the opportunity to learn from one of the world’s most advanced telco and digital ecosystems, while bringing Globe’s deep understanding of the Filipino customer to the table,” Cruz added.
“Together, we aim to explore new ways to make mobile services more relevant, retail experiences more seamless, and digital solutions more responsive to the evolving needs of Filipinos. As we look toward 2027 and beyond, our goal is to create value that goes beyond connectivity and helps build a stronger, more inclusive digital ecosystem for the country.”
The companies will also assess whether KDDI’s recurring-revenue model in Japan can be adapted to the Philippine market. KDDI combines telecommunications services with financial, entertainment, lifestyle and other digital offerings.
Globe said these capabilities could be offered across its mobile customer base of about 67 million, although it did not identify specific products, investment amounts or a timetable for launching new services.
The partnership forms part of Globe’s effort to position itself as a broader digital services provider while retaining physical stores for transactions and support that customers may not want to handle entirely online.
