Telly partners with Fortumo for direct carrier billing in the Middle East

The video on demand platform Telly and the mobile payments company Fortumo are today announcing a partnership for direct carrier billing. Customers can now subscribe to Telly by charging payments directly to their monthly phone bill or deducting payments from their prepaid balance. Bahrain is the first country where the carrier billing partnership is now live.

Eric Morhenn, Telly’s CEO commented, “We are pleased to partner with Fortumo to access more customers in MENA through billing connections with mobile operators. Direct carrier billing offers Telly customers a frictionless and secure payment solution that does not require credit cards or bank account information to make a purchase.”

“The Middle Eastern region has strong potential for digital merchants due to its high income, and leading smartphone penetration rates. Telly has successfully tapped into this vibrant and multi-cultural region by making mobile operator partnerships a core part of their growth strategy. We are excited to be working with Telly and bring additional scale to their presence in the Middle East,” said Andrea Boetti, Vice President of Global Business Development at Fortumo.

In Bahrain, only 28% of people have access to credit cards. Meanwhile, smartphone penetration in the country stands at 100%, making it one of the best-connected mobile markets in the world. The gap between traditional payment methods and online access means that while most people are able to consume digital services online, a majority of them are unable to pay for premium content.

Carrier billing resolves this problem by making online payments available to any mobile phone owner. More insights on carrier billing in the Middle Eastern & African region can be found from Fortumo’s MENA market report.

Telly is using Fortumo’s direct carrier billing platform to collect subscription payments from its users. Using the latest carrier billing technologies made available by mobile operators, the platform allows Telly to use advanced features of carrier billing including free trials, recurring subscriptions, dynamic pricing and automated refunds. At the same time, Fortumo manages the technical integrations on behalf of Telly, allowing carrier billing to be rolled out to multiple markets rapidly.

In addition to Telly, Fortumo provides its direct carrier billing platform to Google Play, Spotify, Sony, HOOQ, Gaana, EA Mobile, Gameloft and thousands of other digital content merchants. Fortumo’s platform can be used to collect payments from subscribers of more than 350 mobile operators through one integration.

Telly is a leading streaming video on demand platform that brings the best shows from Hollywood, Arabia and Bollywood to customers located mainly in the MENA region. Telly offers exclusive, original TV series and movies, with unlimited viewing on any Internet-connected screen for an affordable, no-commitment monthly fee.

Fortumo is a mobile payments company that enables direct carrier billing with more than 350 mobile operators in 90+ countries. Fortumo’s payment products work across a wide range of platforms including desktop devices, smartphones, feature phones, tablets and smart TV-s. These products give consumers a simple, 1-click payment method to charge online purchases to their phone bill. For app stores, digital media companies and game developers, Fortumo provides one integration with 350 mobile operators as well as a single point of contact for settlements, reporting, support and infrastructure upgrades. Founded in 2007, Fortumo has offices in Estonia, San Francisco, Beijing, Delhi, Singapore & Hanoi and is backed by Intel Capital and Greycroft Partners. https://fortumo.com