Mavenir has acquired Aquto, a provider of mobile sponsored data and data rewards platform for telecom operators.

The acquisition will enable Mavenir to assist its 250+ service provider customers to monetize their messaging and data service by reducing churn in prepaid customers.

Susie Kim Riley is the founder and CEO of Aquto.

Aquto platform will be complementary to the B2C messaging offerings of Mavenir. Mavenir said its B2C messaging offerings include Messaging as a Platform (MaaP), RCS Hub, and Multi-ID. The company aims to integrate Aquto platform into Mavenir’s in-network product evolution and hosted service plans for voice and messaging.

Mavenir said Aquto is offering the SaaS Platform Distribution either as a white-label Sponsored Data platform to enable single MNO or group of MNOs or as Global Sponsored Data Platform connected to all MNOs.

Aquto’s customers include America Movil, AT&T, Telefonica, Verizon, among others.

Aquto uses data as a form of currency to improve engagement with marketers to fund sponsorship of mobile data. Aquto’s technology enables marketers to use data sponsorship to improve mobile engagement across any type of mobile campaign such as app downloads, in-app engagement, media, etc.

Mavenir CEO Pardeep Kohli said: “Mobile operators can monetize sponsors through the value exchange model – where mobile data is the primary currency.”

Enterprises can attach data rewards to a specific call to action (CTA). Users/consumers, when provided with sponsored data services, engage more with the operator and ultimately buy more data from the operator (i.e. reduced churn by 5 percent and increased ARPU by 15 percent for prepaid subscribers).