Bango and Indosat Launch Carrier Billing in Google Play™

Bango (AIM: BGO), the mobile payments company, is pleased to announce that Indosat, the leading Indonesian Mobile Network Operator (MNO), has used the Bango Payments Platform to launch one-click payment for Google Play customers.

This activation enables Google Play customers on the Indosat network to purchase games, music, apps and other digital content, without the use of premium SMS messages or the limitations of credit cards. Instead, users enjoy frictionless direct carrier billing, charging the cost to their phone bill, without the need to register personal details.

Today’s launch will impact a huge population of Indonesian consumers. Indosat is a leading MNO in Indonesia, where the smartphone market is growing rapidly, having seen growth of 154% in the 12 months to July 2014. With growth of 156% during the same period, Android is Indonesia’s most popular mobile OS. Even with such growth, smartphone ownership has still only reached 26%, suggesting that smartphone penetration will continue to rise in the coming years (all analysis from Opera Software, 2014).

This activation is the latest development in an established strategic partnership between Bango and Indosat. Indosat was integrated into the Bango Payments Platform in 2012, and initially activated carrier billing for users of BlackBerry World and then Microsoft’s Windows Phone Store. The Bango Payments Platform manages the complexities of launching mobile commerce in a fast-developing market such as Indonesia, including compliance with local tax and regulatory requirements, as well as support for local currency (Rupiah). The result is an unrivalled speed to market and revenue.

This speed is an important benefit of the Bango platform approach, and explains why many of the world’s largest MNOs choose Bango to deliver app store carrier billing.

Indosat President Director & CEO, Alexander Rusli said: "Indosat Carrier Billing with Google Play Store is the first of its kind in Indonesia, so we hope this service gives the convenience to Indosat customers to purchase applications, content, games and books through their mobile device without the need of using credit or debit cards. This service offering is also our commitment to the people of Indonesia that Indosat will always create new and innovative services to stay ahead of competition. This initiative is the part of Indosat efforts to become the carrier of choice for smart device users.”

Bango CEO Ray Anderson commented: "This is an important and exciting announcement for Bango. We’re activating carrier billing in South East Asia’s largest smartphone market, for users of Indonesia’s most popular app store. In this way we’re reaching tens of millions of consumers in a single step – Widening access to the world’s smoothest mobile payment experience. Bango’s partnership with Indosat is a long-term, strategic relationship, which demonstrates that the world’s leading MNOs continue to benefit from their choice of Bango as the single point of integration to reach the range of app stores.”