iflix Pacts with Globe, Telkomsel

OTT operator iflix has clinched two significant partnerships in Southeast Asia, aligning with Globe in the Philippines and Telkomsel in Indonesia.

Globe has 65 million subscribers in the Philippines. The partnership will enable those customers to activate and pay for their iflixVIP subscription plans through the telco’s billing system. In addition, iflix and Globe Studios will co-develop originals for the streaming service in 2019, with Globe customers entitled to special previews. In addition, the platform will license Globe Studios’ shows, including Elements: The Series.

“This historic agreement brings iflix and Globe together as industry leaders of content and technology committed to creating exceptional user experiences,” said Mark Britt, co-founder and CEO of iflix. “The partnership with Globe further represents best practices in how iflix drives strategic value for our partners across their core telecom business, as well as new verticals such as content, for the benefit of their customers.”

“Globe further strengthens its commitment to provide platforms for local artists and filmmakers and give viewers access to the very best in local entertainment,” said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cru. “Together with our partners such as iflix, we will change what local primetime means: the Filipino consumer can now watch TV anytime they want, anywhere they are.”

In Indonesia, meanwhile, Telkomsel subscribers can now sign up for iflixVIP for Rp1,300 per day (about $0.10) or Rp39,000 ($2.70) per month through their mobile account.

“Indonesia is a hugely important market for iflix,” said Jason Monteiro, iflix’s global marketing director. “We are thrilled to launch this first step in our partnership with Telkomsel, Indonesia’s largest wireless provider, enabling carrier billing for Telkomsel’s more than 167 million customers throughout the country. Now subscribers can easily and conveniently access the world’s best entertainment available on iflixVIP and maximize their iflix experience through a single simple and secure step. Carrier billing solves a key issue for us, where the majority of people in Indonesia have been able to access the internet but lack payment methods to transact. Now, everyone can be a VIP.”

“Video service itself now is very high in demand, as can be seen in our customers that utilize around 70 percent of their data quota for video streaming,” said Crispin Tristram, Telkomsel’s head of digital lifestyle services. “In addition, in the past year, the growth of video content traffic on our network has increased by over to 250 percent. This is just the beginning. I look forward to working together in the upcoming phases to create even greater value and experiences for our subscribers.”