Globe partners with Brastel for cheaper calls in Japan

MANILA, Philippines - Listed Globe Telecom Inc., a joint venture between conglomerate Ayala Corp. and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (Singtel), has tied up with Tokyo-based Brastel Co. Ltd. to provide reloadable call cards to about 250,000 Filipinos working and living in Japan.

Rizza Maniego-Eala, senior vice president for international business at Globe, said in a press conference that the partnership would benefit overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as rates for calls to Globe and TM in the Philippines would be half the cost of other offers in Japan.

“This partnership with Brastel gives us an opportunity to offer good quality calls, superior rates and a widely-accessible reloadable card product available in over 44,000 outlets across the said country,” she said.

Aside from taking advantage of the distribution network of Brastel, Maniego-Eala said Globe would also use the infrastructure of the pioneer of reloadable calling cards in Japan.

According to her, reloading the card is easy via the widely-accepted Smart Pit payment gateway at partner convenience stores such as Family Mart, Mini Stop, Circle K and Lawson.

She pointed out that Filipinos could use the reloadable call card to call Globe landlines in the Philippines at 20 yen per minute as well as Globe and TM mobile phones at 35 yen per minute.

She explained that the cost is 50 percent cheaper compared to other rates for calls from Japan to the Philippines.

Globe executive vice president and chief operating officer for International and Business Markets Gil Genio said in a statement that the product was developed for the 250,000 overseas Filipinos in Japan.

 “We have forged ties with a respected company such as Brastel in order to provide Filipinos abroad with more affordable means to communicate with their loved ones back home,” Genio said.

Brastel chief executive officer Wilson Kendi Kawai said the Globe-Brastel card is available for free at Filipino stores across Japan.

“Since our founding in 1996, we at Brastel aim to give our customers a voice by providing them with the best packages and offers. Through our partnership with Globe, we are delighted to enable stronger connections between overseas Filipinos in Japan and their family and friends back home,” he said.

Brastel general manager for carrier operations and support George Tatsuki Takata explained that denominations of 2,000 yen up to 10,000 yen could be used to reload the call cards.

To make a call, Takata said users should dial the access number, country code, area code and phone number from any landline, mobile or payphone.

According to Takata, the average spending in Japan is less than 2,000 yen per month for calls.

Brastel was established in 1996 to provide international calling services to over 190 countries and territories around the world. It is the pioneer in the rechargeable international prepaid card in the world through Brastel Card that allow customers to instantly add more credit to their cards at 44,000 convenience stores throughout Japan.