Globe Telecom and Google have partnered in an effort to boost smartphone and internet penetration in the Philippines with the launch of the Android One project in the country, introducing a range of innovative, affordable and quality smartphones with free internet access.

Globe customers purchasing the latest Android One devices, such as the Cherry Mobile Uno or MyPhone One will receive 100MB of mobile data a month for free for their first six months.

The free data will not only give a new section of the population access to the internet, but ensure that the device stays up-to-date with the latest version of Android, with the phones automatically downloading updates.

Customers will also be able to access the Google Play Store, with select apps available for free for six months, up to a limit of 200MB of data. The offer stacks with an existing Globe promotion, offering new Cherry Mobile customers 150MB of free data a month for one year as long as they load credit every month.

“Over the years, Globe has been purveyor of the digital lifestyle by extending free access to the internet on the back of its partnerships with global brands such as Google, Facebook and Viber,” said Issa Cabreira, senior vice president for consumer mobile marketing at Globe. “As the leading digital service provider in the country, we want the continuing shift to a digital lifestyle to be more inclusive by providing free internet on superior by reasonably-priced devices.”

“Data connections have been a serious barrier to getting the internet into more peoples hands,” said Caesar Sengupta, vice president of product management at Google. “We are thrilled about the commitment of Globe to reduce costs on app updates and downloads for people with Android One phones – a key step to making extraordinary smartphone technology more accessible and affordable.”