Bango launches safe subscriptions for mobile content

Mobile internet provides a risk-free way to buy mobile content on a subscription

November 2, 2006 – Bango has launched a safe subscription service that gives mobile users world-wide a simple, risk-free way to pay for content from ringtones and videos to news and blogs, on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis. The new service makes it easy for consumers to sign up and manage their subscription accounts on the mobile internet and will restore public confidence in mobile subscription payments.

There is a solid opportunity for mobile subscription services. "With up to 15 percent of wireless revenues in the United States already coming from data services, it makes sense that we’ll see a rise in mobile subscription services especially as new services make it easier and safer to enroll," said Roger Entner, vice president of wireless telecomm, Ovum.

"With the new Bango subscription service, users have a clear understanding of what they are entering into, know exactly the status of each subscription and have a simple means of stopping future payments," says Ray Anderson, CEO at Bango. "Having a single point of control and management avoids problems encountered with old-style disparate SMS subscriptions."

Mobile subscription revenues suffered over the last 2 years as the public started to distrust subscription services. Some consumers found they had unwittingly signed up for regular payments or didn’t get the content they had paid for because they mistyped a message or their handset could not use the service. The safe subscription service from Bango addresses these concerns in a number of important ways.

Bango ensures that consumers see the terms and conditions before confirmation of any payments so it’s clear how much the service costs and the frequency of the payments. The integration with the payment flow in a mobile internet session overcomes the problems of a disparate SMS message based approach where the terms and conditions are separated from the payment experience.

Consumers also have an easy way of controlling their subscriptions. By visiting bango.net on their mobile phone, or clicking on a link from the content provider’s mobile site, they clearly see the details and status of all their active subscriptions – with a one-click option to cancel future payments. This single point of control means consumers do not need to remember what they have signed up for to or how to stop the subscriptions.

The user needs an internet enabled handset to sign-up (nearly all new phones are internet enabled). The mobile internet site offering the services detects handset capabilities so they only offer content known to work on the user’s handset. This approach means consumers are not likely to subscribe for content they cannot access or use.

The new Bango subscription service, due to go live in Q4 2006, is part of Bango’s global mobile payment platform so users can pay for content on their phone bill, using PayPal or credit/debit card. Content providers can offer subscription options along with a single one-time charge, one-time payments for defined periods and free access.

Content providers can concentrate on their mobile site and their business model. The end user experience they require is automatically adapted by Bango to meet the best practice guidelines and mandatory requirements for each payment method and in local markets. The mobile internet based flow enables double opt-in requirements to be met in a much more user friendly way than a complex exchange of text messages. Bango safe subscription is fully compliant with the UK mobile operators’ "Payforit" trusted mobile payment scheme.

Content providers simply set the frequency and define the initial introductory and standard repeat prices. Bango ensures that there are no barriers to signing up and takes care of the complexity along with management and legal issues surrounding contractual agreements.

"A safe and reliable subscription solution is critical for many mobile business models to succeed. The new subscription service presents us with additional revenue opportunities that will have the full confidence of our customers."

Richard Hawley, Director of Gamemobile.co.uk.

About Bango

Bango has developed and deployed a unique open, global infrastructure platform that enables content providers to market, sell and deliver their products and services directly to mobile phone users on all mobile networks using the mobile Internet. This "direct-to-consumer" approach operates alongside the operator’s mobile content portals. Leading mobile operators including Cingular Wireless, Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica and O2 work with Bango to accelerate the growth of their "direct-to-consumer" business.

The Bango platform has given phone subscribers around the world greater access to third-party content. Leading content brands are now adopting the Bango Service to engage with all of their existing and potential mobile customers directly – irrespective of operator. Bango, based in New York and Cambridge (UK), is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (AIM: BGO).

For further information, go to www.bango.com.

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