MACH to integrate Direct Billing Gateway to O2 UK’s new Charge to Mobile platform; enables frictionless, one-click payment for mobile apps, content, virtual goods
Luxembourg, 10th January 2013 – MACH, the world leader in direct operator billing, announced today that it has been selected by O2 UK as a preferred launch partner to enable direct operator billing on its new Charge to Mobile platform. Through MACH’s Direct Billing Gateway, app stores and merchants will for the first time be able to benefit from features such as flexible pricing, real time charging and real-time debiting and crediting capabilities, as well as direct refund capabilities, on the O2 UK network.
Historically, the billing mechanisms made available to apps developers and merchants have hindered the effective monetization of their products across all mobile platforms. Premium SMS is cumbersome in the way it charges consumers and along with credit card payments, is perceived to be restrictive and inefficient. Through its integration to O2 UK’s Charge to Mobile platform, MACH will offer content partners and merchants a frictionless payment process which reduces drop-off rates and increases conversion rates. MACH’s Direct Billing Gateway also provides a real time charging process, which ensures instant authorisation and reduced revenue leakage, for both pre-pay and post-pay subscribers.
Danny Barclay, Head of Interactive Sales at O2, commented: “Our new Charge to Mobile platform is an important, strategic launch for O2. MACH is helping us to open up the apps economy for online services for our businesses, as we look to create a healthy ecosystem with competitive revenue splits for our partners and a leading edge technology platform to support this. MACH is a natural partner due to its heritage in delivering frictionless payments for major application stores and merchants. There is little doubting that apps and online content represents an important revenue stream for us and our partners and we are now confident that we have a best-practice approach to monetizing this exciting area of mobile communications.”
Michael De Jongh, Global Head of Sales, Mobile Billing and Payments at MACH, commented: “MACH is honoured to be one of the first to partner with O2 on its new Charge to Mobile platform and we are excited to see direct operator billing gain further currency within the industry. With O2 UK as part of our global network of direct billing connections, we are helping to drive direct operator billing revenues for operators. We are equally delighted to be opening up direct billing capability in the UK for global merchants and app stores, making it easier for them to monetize their apps.”
MACH’s Direct Billing Gateway removes the need for cumbersome Premium Messaging or re-direction to WAP payment pages, and through its simple process, increases the likelihood of customers continuing through to purchase. Moreover, it allows users to buy apps regardless of whether they have a credit card or are on a pre- or post-paid contract. This significantly increases the market for apps purchases whilst also raising transaction completion rates, further driving revenue growth for merchants and operators alike.
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About MACH’s Direct Billing Gateway
MACH’s Direct Billing Gateway provides a direct operator billing service for global application stores and developers to generate revenues from in-application billing with a frictionless buy user experience. Unlike traditional operator billing methods, such as PSMS or WAP billing, the Direct Billing Gateway offers a comprehensive real-time, one-click, cross-platform direct billing service for application providers, app stores and websites. The Direct Billing Gateway is supported by a global network of direct billing integrations to mobile operators and delivers real-time authentication and authorisation within the application, minimising the risk of revenue leakage or abandoned transactions.
About MACH
MACH is the leading provider of cloud-based, managed communications services for monetizing mobile data, simplifying interoperability between networks, optimizing wholesale processes and protecting revenues. It is fast becoming the provider of choice for real-time, value added services that are essential for communications service providers around the globe to enhance customer experience, optimize wholesale processes and monetize their businesses in 3G and 4G mobile ecosystems. With its long heritage in data and financial clearing, settlement and hub based connectivity models, it provides its 650 operator customers with state-of-the-art tools needed to align business processes. Headquartered in Luxembourg, MACH has offices in 12 countries. Its customers include Orange, Telefonica, T-Mobile, Telus, Verizon Wireless and Microsoft, as well as enterprise messaging customers like KLM. For more information, visit www.mach.com, follow MACHconnects on Twitter or read The MACH Blog.
Enquiries
MACH
Eileen Preston, Global PR Manager
[email protected], +44 7860 456193