Bango Regulatory News (BGO)

15 Mar 2006 07:03

Bango PLC15 March 2006 Bango PLC ("Bango" or "the Company") Bango supports "X-Pay" Bango gives automatic access to UK's new mobile billing standard March 15, 2006 - Bango plc (AIM: BGO) the mobile content enabler, announces today that it will support the new X-Pay model for mobile payments. X-Pay is a cross-operator initiative started in the UK that provides atransparent and unified payment standard aiming to build trust by ensuringcustomers have a clear understanding of what and how they will be charged formobile content across all operator networks. Bango believes that a trusted andconvenient payment system is a critical element in enabling growth in demand formobile internet. Bango has worked closely with UK mobile operators to define howX-Pay can facilitate a trusted, universal mechanism of paying for mobileinternet content. Bango operates a global internet platform for off-portal, or direct-to-consumer,mobile content. This platform enables content providers to effectively promotetheir services, attract users and bill for premium content across multiplemobile network operators. The Bango platform will now automatically activate theX-Pay process, where applicable, allowing UK content providers to receive abetter revenue share and initiate subscription services without thecomplications of users opting-in via a text message. The Bango payment system for mobile content is used by some of the world'sleading brands including News Corp, Sony BMG, Channel 4 TV, EMI Music, plusthousands of smaller companies. "Subscription services on Premium SMS are currently a big headache for theindustry at large," said Anil Malhotra, Senior Vice President of Marketing atBango. "We are strong advocates of the mobile internet billing model which is amuch more reliable and flexible solution for content providers than Premium SMS.Initiatives such as X-Pay will enable the mobile internet industry in the UK togrow as consumers regain confidence in the transparency of billing." About X-Pay X-Pay is a cross-operator initiative started in the UK by Vodafone and Orange.The aim is to provide a transparent and unified payment standard aiming to buildtrust by ensuring customers have a clear understanding of what and how they willbe charged for mobile content. Content providers can benefit from the consumer confidence generated by theX-Pay brand so that, for example, consumers know what the cost of a subscriptionservice will be and when and how much they will be charged. Content aggregators whose customers want to access the UK mobile market will beable to use the Bango solution to ensure X-Pay compliance. This eliminates theneed for aggregators to build their own mobile internet payment platform or totrack X-Pay rules and compliancy requirements. About Bango Bango (AIM: BGO) has developed and deployed an open, global infrastructureplatform that enables content providers and brand owners to market, sell anddeliver their products and services directly to mobile phone users on all mobilenetworks using the mobile Internet. This "direct-to-consumer" approach operatesalongside the mobile operator's portal. Leading mobile operators includingCingular Wireless, Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica and O2 work with Bango toaccelerate the growth of their direct-to-consumer business. The Bango platform gives mobile phone subscribers around the world greateraccess to third-party content. Leading content brands are now adopting the BangoService to engage with all of their existing and potential mobile customersdirectly - irrespective of mobile operator. For further information, go towww.bango.com. For further information, please contact: Sarah Keefe, Marketing Manager Bango Tel: +44 7786 932016 sarah@bango.com Tom Moriarty/ Caroline Evans-JonesICISTel : +44 207 651 8688tom@icisnet.com / caroline@icisnet.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange