Last checked at 10 Dec 2012 07:00
10 December 2012
BANGO PLC
("Bango" or "the Company")
Bango launches billing on Google Play
Telstra in Australia is the first mobile network operator to be switched on
Bango plc (AIM:BGO), the mobile payments and analytics company, announces that its first integration on Google Play™ is now live. The first mobile network operator ("MNO") to be connected is Telstra, the leading MNO in Australia. Telstra subscribers using Google Play can now purchase digital content without resort to sending SMS messages or the limitations of credit cards. Users now enjoy frictionless operator billing powered by Bango, paying on their phone bill, without the need to register personal details.
On 21 May 2012, Bango announced that various MNOs had approached Bango to use the Bango payment platform to connect their billing systems to the Google Play store. This is the first such partnership to have gone live, reflecting the strong culture of innovation at Telstra. The Board believes it is too early to accurately forecast the level of business which will be generated through the partnership.
Bango expects to deliver further operator connections into Google Play in the coming year, as Android™ continues to forge ahead in the connected device market.
Google Play delivers music, books, movies and apps straight to hundreds of millions of users around the world. Operator billing is emerging as an ideal billing method for such a wide-range of digital categories.
Bango has become the payments platform of choice for many of the world's leading app stores. In addition to this first Google Play integration, Bango's existing app store connections include Facebook, Blackberry App World, Opera Mobile Store and others. Bango has also announced an agreement to provide payment services to Amazon and has become a technology partner for MasterCard's PayPass mobile wallet.
Telstra's Director of Consumer Applications and Services, Freddie Jansen Van Nieuwenhuizen, said the new service would make it easier for Australians to acquire the latest games and content for their mobile devices. "Aussies love their mobile apps. Telstra research shows that on average we download 36 apps each year and one in five of those are paid for. With more than 700,000 games, apps, books, movies and magazines now available on Google Play, including a wide selection of paid titles, many of our customers have told us they would like a simpler way to buy."
Bango CEO Ray Anderson added: "Android is winning the battle for smartphone market share. As user numbers soar, we will see an increasing flow of developer talent and compelling content channelled through Google Play. We are expecting that operator billing from Bango will boost conversion rates and developer monetization. It's a new weapon in Google's armoury."
Contact Details:
Bango plc | Newgate Threadneedle | Cenkos Securities plc |
Tel. +44 1223 472777 www.bango.com | Tel. +44 207 653 9850 | Tel. +44 207 397 8900
|
Ray Anderson, CEO | Caroline Evans-Jones | Ken Fleming |
Gerry Tucker, CFO | Fiona Conroy | Neil McDonald |
About Bango
In the era of mobile technology, collecting payments has emerged as a central and complex challenge. Bango (AIM: BGO) powers payment and analytics on the mobile web, providing users with a massively smooth payment experience.
Bango's pervasive presence across the web creates a platform effect for partners, identifying hundreds of millions of users and maximising the number of single click payments. Customers who plug into Bango include Facebook, Blackberry App World, Windows Phone Store, Amazon and major mobile brands including CNN, Cartoon Network and EA Mobile. Visit: bango.com
Google Play and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.