MACH announced that its Direct
Billing Gateway has been launched across the four main German mobile
networks, enabling direct operator billing for more than 80 million mobile
subscribers across the country.

The Direct Billing Gateway will also
enable in-app payments, opening a brand new revenue stream for app stores and
content providers, while delivering dynamic app pricing and innovative business
models.

 

MACH’s direct operator billing service
will benefit German mobile subscribers by providing them with the option of
buying apps and, for the first time, in-app goods and services through a simple
1-click process, placing the fee for the application on the user’s phone bill.
As well as improving the end user experience, direct operator billing will
benefit app developers in Germany through the effective monetisation of mobile
content, while in-app billing will facilitate new business models for
developers based on the sale of virtual goods and services from within the app
itself.

MACH’s business is built around making
the monetisation of services easier for our customers. Through its Direct
Billing Gateway, MACH is providing the glue that will unite application stores,
content providers and merchants with operators and simplify the apps ecosystem
in Germany,” said Charles Damen, vice president, Mobile Content and
Aplications, MACH.

Furthermore, the direct operator billing
service enables real-time monitoring of transactions and flexible pricing
points, and will bring true e-commerce functionality to apps propositions when
compared to the old P-SMS environment,” Damen added.

The launch allows app stores and content
providers to instantly deliver direct operator billing and in-app billing
without the need to set up individual agreements with the main German
operators. This saves considerable time and OPEX while allowing application
providers and merchants to focus on their core business of enabling an open
apps environment across Germany.

 

The Direct Billing Gateway removes the
need for cumbersome Premium Messaging or re-direction to WAP payment pages and
through its simple 1-click billing 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, vastly increasing the potential market for apps purchases and further
helping to drive revenue growth for customers and operators alike.

The ability to bill without recourse to a
credit card also offers subscribers a much more secure channel through which to
pay for apps and in-app goods, providing consumers with the peace of mind that
they are not compromising sensitive information while making their purchases.