Tag: Optus

Singapore – Travel Alliance is set to launch a cross-border telco rewards programme for its customers with ride-hailing and delivery company Grab and travel brand Trip.com.

Travel Alliance, comprised of Singtel, AIS, Globe, HKT, Optus, Taiwan Mobile and Telkomsel, is set to roll out the rewards programme starting January next year.

Through the partnership with Grab and Trip.com, customers of Alliance members can save on accommodations, flights, rides, and food deliveries.

The launch reflects Travel Alliance’s aim of providing incentives to its customers when travelling, including for transport, dining, merchandise, and lifestyle services. Since Travel Alliance’s establishment in February 2024, Grab and Trip.com are the first to become partners that provide rewards for customers.

As part of the rewards programme, Travel Alliance customers can gain discounts from Trip.com hotel and flight bookings. Additionally, they can also upgrade to Trip.com’s top-tier status, enjoying rewards such as access to VIP lounges and upgrades for car models when travelling.

Meanwhile, Grab is set to launch a Grab Tourist Pack in 2025, providing exclusive deals for Alliance customers.

“As a customer-focused company, Trip.com is delighted to partner with the alliance of seven telcos to bring exceptional travel opportunities to their users across the Asia Pacific region. This collaboration reflects our commitment to making travel more accessible and rewarding by leveraging innovative partnerships. By combining the convenience of our platform with exclusive discounts for the telco customers, we aim to inspire more people to plan the perfect trip for a better world,” Han Feng, head of marketing at Trip.com, said.

“With our presence in over 700 cities across 8 countries in Southeast Asia, Grab believes we can be the one app travellers need for hailing rides, ordering food, dining out or getting emergency supplies delivered to their doorstep. We are pleased to partner the Travel Alliance to support the travel needs of their vast combined customer base,” Chuck Kim, managing director of group business development & strategic partnerships at Grab, commented.

Australia – UM Australia has partnered with MMM provider Mutinex to launch a first-of-its-kind real-time media data integration in Australia.

This initiative automates the data sharing between UM’s systems and Mutinex’s GrowthOS platform, offering significant time savings and improved data accuracy for UM’s clients, starting with foundation client Optus.

Adam Krass, chief digital, data, and tech officer at UM, said, “As we move towards a future dominated by data-driven strategies, this collaboration underscores UM’s commitment to innovation, privacy, and security. The seamless and secure data transfer process aligns with the highest standards of data protection, ensuring client information is handled in compliance with government regulation and leading encryption solutions.”

The media data integration is set to greatly benefit UM’s foundational client Optus by facilitating faster and more precise data-driven decision-making. Automating data transfer enhances efficiency, allowing UM’s team to focus on creativity and strategic growth. Real-time updates improve data accuracy for Optus’ MMM, ensuring better channel optimisation and more frequent tactical reviews. The integration also accelerates decision-making with immediate access to updated data and adheres to strict security standards to protect Optus’ information.

Mutinex and UM’s integration will be extended to other shared clients, with the partnership committed to delivering exceptional value and enhanced marketing and business outcomes.

Commenting on the integration, Mat Baxter, CEO for APAC at Mutinex, shared, “UM and Optus deserve congratulations for pioneering the way media data is supplied for MMM. Let’s be frank: the more fluid the data supply, the more valuable the insight. It’s as simple as that.”

Meanwhile, Cam Luby, head of consumer marketing at Optus, said, “This collaboration marks a significant leap forward in how we leverage data to drive growth and innovation at Optus. By automating the flow of data between UM and Optus technology, we are not just improving our decision-making speed but also elevating the precision and impact of our marketing strategy.” 

Hong Kong – Telecommunications companies HKT, AIS, Globe, Optus, Singtel, Taiwan Mobile, and Telkomsel have announced that they will be initiating a collaboration as an alliance to launch a first-of-its-kind cross-border rewards programme.

This collaboration between the companies aims at delivering greater value to eligible customers when they travel to Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan or Indonesia where the telcos are respectively based.

The programme, which is set to be progressively rolled out in the second half of 2024, will allow eligible travelers to enjoy special offers and redeem vouchers for transport, dining, merchandise, services and other incentives from the relevant telcos’ apps conveniently when they visit any of these markets.

Additionally, they can also access customer support from their telco via calls or online while overseas for free.

Talking about this initiative, Monita Leung, chief executive officer of Digital Ventures at HKT, said, “Through this collaboration, we are delighted to extend these privileges to customers of the Alliance visiting Hong Kong, enriching their local travel experiences and contributing to the tourism industry in Hong Kong. Moreover, HKT customers can relish the convenience of a seamless journey and take advantage of enticing cross-border special offers when traveling to the markets within the Alliance.”

Pratthana Leelapanang, chief consumer business at AIS, added, “The collaboration in this project marks a significant global milestone, as major telecommunications service providers in the Asian region come together to enhance customer care across borders with the concept of the world’s first cross-border telco rewards. This sets a new standard in the telecommunications industry, aiming to enhance the ultimate experience and unique privileges for AIS customers when traveling and using services from partner networks in six destinations.”

Darius Delgado, head, consumer mobile business at Globe, also added, “Through this programme, we will be able to give cross-border perks, experiences and unique offers to our subscribers when they travel to partner destinations. With this, we can ensure that when yuppies travel with GOMO PH, they are in for an adventure of a lifetime!”

Matt Williams, managing director of customer solutions at Optus, mentioned, “We are thrilled to be part of the launch of this pioneering travel rewards programme, representing our commitment to enhancing the lives of our valued Optus customers. We are looking forward to bringing this programme to our customers soon and invite them to join us in these unique experiences.”

Anna Yip, chief executive officer, business development at Singtel, remarked, “We value our customers’ loyalty and want to enhance their travel experience. With this unique reciprocal rewards programme, our customers can access exciting local rewards and offers when they visit any of the markets within the Alliance. We’re starting with our regional partners but plan to expand this programme to cover key travel corridors and popular destinations globally so our customers will have an even wider array of opportunities and new experiences to enjoy when they’re abroad.”

Meanwhile, Tony Lin, chief consumer business officer at Taiwan Mobile, said, “Imagine browsing authentic Taiwanese souvenirs while waiting for your flight, and paying for all your purchases using your loyalty points! That’s the exciting innovation we’re bringing to travellers through the Telco Rewards Alliance. Over ten million travellers across the Alliance’s participating telco networks can seamlessly access local data plans, convenient airport transfers, and unforgettable experiences, all with a few taps on your phone. This initiative will revolutionise travel convenience and customisation for our customers. Join us and discover the magic of Taiwan, one delightful reward at a time!”

Lastly, Derrick Heng, chief marketing officer at Telkomsel, commented, “Reflecting Telkomsel’s steadfast dedication to pioneering innovations and surpassing customer expectations, we are proud to introduce the world’s first cross-border telco rewards programme. This pioneering initiative aims to enrich the international travel experience, offering them superior benefits and the opportunity to immerse themselves in unique local experiences just like a local.”

Australia – With populations of Sugar Gliders, Krefft’s Glider, and Savanna Glider declining, Australian telco firm Optus has partnered with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) to launch a new campaign, aimed at raising funds for the cause.

In the new film, which is titled ‘Tis the season of yes’, Optus follows an Australian glider, risking life and ‘tail’, for an ambitious surprise for its expectant glider partner for Christmas, going all out to create a pair of bassinets. The film then reverted back to the moment of ‘yes’ that inspired these ambitious events – pinpointing the moment where the glider decided to turn optimism into action by starting a family of his own.

The campaign aims to raise an excess of AU$50,000 to help AWC deliver fire management across 100,000 hectares of natural habitat, remove feral herbivores to help create safe refuges for the gliders, and support its scientific monitoring program to ensure key threats to their survival are controlled.

Mel Hopkins, Optus’ vice president of marketing, noted that they want to play a part in affecting real change for the future of Australia.

“We’ve been part of Australia’s social fabric for 30 years, so it was important that a native species was front and center of our campaign. We are encouraging Australians to fall in love with these wonderful creatures and join us in saving them in the most generous time of year – now that’s optimism in action,” said Hopkins.

Optus said that the campaign is the latest iteration of its acclaimed ‘It Starts With Yes’ platform, which the telco debuted last year.

Tim Allard, Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s CEO, shared that most Aussies know about wombats, koalas, and quokkas – but there is little knowledge of this flying marsupial. 

“AWC is taking practical and effective action like fire management and feral animal control to address the key threats to the glider’s survival and restore their populations. This partnership with Optus will help teach Australians about the incredible diversity our country holds, and the funds will help us protect these threatened animals now and into the future,” said Allard.

The campaign has been available last 14 November 2021, with television spots, social content, and OOH.

Sydney, Australia – SME marketing company Metigy in Australia has recently concluded its funding round, which the startup will use in expanding its services globally.

The funding, closing at USD 20M, will be initially used to expand its business to the United States and Southeast Asia, specifically in Singapore. Furthermore, the funding will also aid in growing the company’s product and engineering teams in Australia.

We’ve had fantastic growth so far but it’s just the beginning — there’s a massive opportunity to help the nearly 30 million small businesses in the U.S. and 150 million businesses across South East Asia. According to Google, 97% of SEAsian SMEs have no ad tech or martech solutions and also lack the supply of talent to meet that demand. Innovative technology developed with the SME in mind is the only way to solve this problem

David Fairfull (pictured left), CEO and co-founder at Metigy

He also added,“We created Metigy to make digital marketing an effective tool for all types of businesses, not just those with massive marketing budgets. Half of all small businesses fail within the first two years, and marketing — or a lack of effective marketing — is always one of the key reasons. We want to improve those odds and give them a fighting chance.”

The startup is working closely with Google and telecommunications company Optus, and has created strategic partnerships with companies such as Singapore’s SingTel, who co-sell Metigy’s tools to add value to their own business customer relationships.

Speaking about the funding round, Darien Jagger, lead investor at Cygnet Capital, states that Metigy’s fast expansion pushed the venture capital to invest in the startup.

“Cygnet was an early-stage investor in Metigy and after seeing their impressive growth, it absolutely made sense to lead this current raise. Completing the raise 100% oversubscribed in this market with an all Australian investor group is a testament to the solid business the team has built. Strategically, this also places Metigy firmly on the path to remaining Australian based,” Jagger stated.