– Combination of huge Android growth and the #1 carrier billing platform opens-up app store experience to all Telkom SA customers –
Bango 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.”
About Bango
Bango’s mobile payment platform is vital to the global growth in digital content sales. The giants of mobile choose the Bango Payment Platform to provide a delightful and immediate payment experience that maximizes sales of digital content.
With over 140 markets activated by our partners, the Bango Payment Platform is established as the global standard for app stores to offer carrier billing. As the next billion consumers pick up their first smartphone, Bango technology will be there to unlock the universe of apps, video, games and other content that bring those smartphones to life. Global leaders plugging into Bango include Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY), Facebook (NASDAQ: FB), Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), Samsung (005930: Korea SE), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Mozilla. Visit: bango.com
About Telkom SA
Telkom is a leading communications services provider in South Africa. We had consolidated operating revenue from continuing operations of R31.7 billion and profit after tax from continuing operations of R2, 889 million for the year ended 31 March 2015. Total assets amounted to R42.0 billion and equity attributable to the owners of Telkom to R25.7 billion as of 31 March 2015. The group generated free cash flow of R3.9 billion for the year ended 31 March 2015.
As of 31 March 2015, we had approximately 3.4 million telephone access lines in service and 964,196 ports connected via MSAN access. We offer business, residential and payphone customers a wide range of services and products, including:
- fixed-line retail voice services using PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines, including ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines, and the sale of subscription based value-added voice services and calling plans;
- fixed-line customer premises equipment rental and sales services both voice and data needs and these include PABX, Computers, Routers, Modems, Telephone handsets and other ancillary equipment;
- interconnection services, including terminating and transiting traffic from South African mobile operators, as well as from international operators and transiting traffic from mobile to international destinations;
- fixed-line data services, including domestic and international data transmission services, such as point-to-point leased lines, ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) services, packet-based services, managed data networking services and internet access and related information technology services;
- Data Centre Operations includes e-commerce, application service provider, hosting, data storage, e-mail and security services;
- W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), a 3G next generation network, including fixed voice services, data services and nomadic voice services;
- mobile communication services, including voice services, data services and handset sales through our mobile brand called Telkom Mobile; and
- other services including directory services, through Trudon (Pty) Ltd, wireless data services, through Swiftnet (Pty) Ltd.
Convergence is one of our key strategic initiatives in building a sustainable future for Telkom. We will lead the provision of converged services in South Africa in support of our mission statement: Seamlessly connecting people to a better life