Bango launches operator billing for app stores in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East

Bango has launched additional Direct Operator Billing (DOB) for app store partners with Saudi Telecom and Mobily in Saudi Arabia, Mobinil in Egypt, Telkom in South Africa, Telefónica in Mexico and Telenor in Hungary.

Bango provides operator billing for Google Play, Windows Phone Store, Facebook, Firefox Marketplace and BlackBerry World, and an agreement with Amazon has also been announced.

“These markets represent the new digital economies, built on their runaway growth in smartphone usage,” said Richard Leyland, VP Marketing Communications at Bango. “While there has been limited payment for digital goods through SMS in the past, for most operators in these markets, Bango’s app store partnerships are the first time true direct operator billing has become available. The result is that consumers experience the higher user experience standard established by leading app stores, which includes the quality and depth of content, the discovery experience, getting the content onto the device and, of course, the purchasing experience”.

“We put great focus on developing our operator partnerships ahead of app store readiness, for example, in the last 12 months we have been running a seminar program named ‘Bango Nexus’, which has taken in Manila, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Dubai and Mexico City. The seminar gives operators in those markets a 360 degree understanding of what technical and operational requirements they must provide to enable direct operator billing for app stores.” Added Leyland.

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