This post is about the review on Globe Duo International–Korea edition. I am currently an OFW here in Seoul.
I used Globe Duo Korea to call my Dad because he is a Globe postpaid subscriber (like me). This is a short review about Globe Duo Korea.
What To Expect
Two Ways of Registering
There are two ways of registering: initiated by the subscriber in the Philippines or initiated by the person who will call the subscriber in the Philippines.
Subscriber registration by the subscriber in the Philippines can be done by dialling *143# and navigating to the USSD menu. In this case, the subscriber in the Philippines will be the one who will pay for the Globe Duo Korea fees.
For registration by the person who will call the subscriber, the Globe number in the Philippines can be subscribed by logging on to Globe Duo International-Korea’s site. You only need to provide your full name, e-mail address and credit card number. So, it’s the caller outside the Philippines who is paying for the Globe Duo International number.
070/050 Numbers
After registering, you’ll be able to receive (as of writing this guide) a 070 number or a 050 number. These two number prefixes here in Korea mean that these numbers are internet phones.
Unlimited Calling
Most subscribers here in Korea are on postpaid and most mobile networks give unlimited calling capabilities to landlines and mobile phones regardless of networks, including internet phones with calling prefixes 070 and 050.
If the subscriber here in Korea is on prepaid, calling 070 and 050 numbers will consume at most approximately KRW 4.20 per second. No special kind of application on your smartphone required–only the dialer.
No Customer Service
There is customer service…if you are lucky. I am very lucky because I have my Globe postpaid here with me. I reached support by calling the Globe Postpaid Roaming hotline (+63-730-1212).
Next, your luck then depends on the Globe agent on the phone whom you will be talking to. You will be not very lucky if the agent you are talking to has no experience with Globe Duo International.
Here are the signs that the agent that you are talking to is not aware of Globe Duo International:
- The agent keep on asking more information about the Globe number that you registered to Globe Duo using the Globe portal
- If the number you are registering to is a postpaid subscriber, the agent will ask you how are you related to the subscriber, the cellphone plan, etc.
- The agent will ask you to do basic troubleshooting such as restarting your phone (which is no use) because it is the Globe Duo International number that you are calling has a problem
- The agent will eventually admit that he/she cannot answer your concern
Lastly, you have to understand that the agent that you will be talking on the phone are just frontliners. Frontliners have limited access and it’s their “support group” that does most of the permissions and processes. If you have a problem with the subscription, prepare for the long wait.
There is Refund (Surprisingly!)
I had a bad experience with my second Globe Duo Korea international registration. I got the email indicating the Globe Duo International number. The email even said that I can now call that Globe Korea Duo number. The problem was calling that number only resulted to short tones (meaning that the number does not exist).
I didn’t want to waste my time so I just ended up purchasing Skype credits to call the Globe number which I wanted to call.
I had a bad experience with email support because the agents cannot understand or don’t even read the entire message thread. They just throw scripted replies.
Conclusion
Globe Duo International is a very good service because it avoids us OFWs to purchase calling cards and use our data allocations for calling our loved ones in the Philippines who rarely use internet connection. Globe Duo International could have been a great service if Globe could have provided a local contact number per country which we can call if ever we have trouble using the service.
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