Digital wallet company CardMobili is working with technology provider Bango to bring carrier billing to retail stores for the first time.
The companies are aiming to allow consumers to pay for products via their mobile phone bills. The new app interface will be used mainly for the purchase of prepay menu deals, redeeming discounts and buying vouchers, the companies added.
CardMobili said operators will be able to use their customer base and billing relationship to drive adoption of the new service. It added retailers will be able to gain access to an operator’s customer base and target them through dedicated campaigns.
Helena Leite, CEO of CardMobili, commented: “Bango’s carrier-billing expertise is a perfect match to our mobile loyalty and strong retail track record. By combining our individual strengths, we are looking to build a mutually beneficial business ecosystem that gives merchants important new customer acquisition and targeting tools, combined with carefully customised loyalty-based services for consumers.”
Bango CEO Ray Anderson added: “We believe that it will be possible to establish carrier billing in the retail space for the first time. MNOs will be able to generate revenue from a brand new channel, providing value-added services to consumers who can pay with one click. This is combined with a dynamic new proposition for brands and merchants, giving them access to the MNO’s customer base within a controlled environment from a trusted partner.”
Last week, Magyar Telekom became the latest operator to launch its own mobile wallet, with Vodafone also recently going live with its own NFC payments-based offer.
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