Carrier billing gains traction among UK operators

All of the UK’s mobile network operators have extended their carrier billing offerings by connecting to Gemalto’s direct billing platform, the mobile security solutions provider announced.

Through its Netsize subsidiary, the company said it has enabled UK mobile subscribers to use their existing phone bills or prepaid balances to purchase digital content, applications and services direct from their handsets.

“Netsize…has created a single, seamless payment and billing solution that embraces virtually all of the country’s mobile subscribers,” said Frédéric Deman, general manager of Netsize.

He added that mobile operator billing offers a compelling alternative for those who don’t have, or don’t want to give, their bank account details when purchasing items with their smartphones.

Direct carrier billing has been available on all networks in the UK since 2012 when direct operator billing firm, Mach which was recently acquired by Syniverse, signed Vodafone, Everything Everywhere, O2 and 3UK up to its Direct Operator Billing platform for digital goods, and said that the use of such a solution to purchase physical goods was on the horizon.

The common framework is called Payforit and aims to provide a secure and trusted transaction mechanism for both merchants and consumers.