Google Play launches first carrier billing in Africa as Telkom SA deploys Bango Payment Platform

Cambridge, UK. September 2nd 2015. Bango (AIM: BGO), the mobile payments company, and Telkom South Africa, have partnered to launch carrier billing in Google Play, a first for Africa. Telkom SA is using the Bango Payment Platform to provide the service to its Android customers, giving them access to a universal payment method to fully enjoy the app store experience.

In Africa, Google’s Android platform currently represents 89% of the smartphone market, according to IDC (2015). Telkom customers using Android smartphones and tablets can now purchase their favourite apps, games, music and other digital content using one-click carrier billing, charging the cost to their phone bill or deducting the charge from airtime, without the need for a credit card or to register personal details. This gives customers with limited or no access to other payment methods the ability to buy from the huge range of content in the Google Play store.

By combining the mass market of the smartphone with the ease and simplicity of one click payment, carrier billing is emerging as a vital enabler of mobile commerce globally. Where carrier billing is introduced to fast-growing emerging markets such as in Africa, Bango routinely sees increases in digital content sales of 300- 400%. Recognizing this transformative effect, the world’s app stores are racing to embrace carrier billing, and Bango has emerged as the #1 global platform to standardize what is otherwise a fragmented and complex payment method. Amazon, Samsung, BlackBerry, Mozilla, Google and Microsoft all use the Bango Payment Platform to provide carrier billing for their customers. In parallel, the world’s leading Mobile Network Operators continue to choose Bango as the common point of integration to activate carrier billing in these app stores.

“Telkom is striving to make our customers’ experience more streamlined and simple,” said Attila Vitai, MD of Mobile and Consumer at Telkom. “This partnership with Bango provides Telkom customers with a seamless experience for purchasing apps from Google Play and charging them directly to their mobile phone bill or airtime”.

Commenting on the announcement, Bango CEO Ray Anderson said: “Bango has long understood that Africa is a key growth market for our frictionless payment technology. Launching the best payment experience, for the world’s most popular app store and in Africa’s largest market, is a proud milestone for Bango and our partner Telkom SA.”