CarrierBilling
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Apple starts offering carrier billing for iTunes in Germany
Up until now, Apple's held out on offering carrier billing for services like iTunes and the App Store. But it looks like that's coming to an end, at least in Germany. As reported by TechCrunch, Apple seems to have quietly flipped the switch on this feature, which lets digital goods be charged directly to a phone bill, for people using O2's wireless network. A spokesperson for Telefonica, the owner of O2, confirmed to the publication it is in fact working with Apple on carrier billing. If you're an O2 wireless customer in that country, it means you can start charging Apple Music, iTunes, App Store and iBooks purchases directly to your monthly bill. Access is limited at the moment, but Telefonica says everyone on O2 will get it by the beginning of November.
Carrier billing is coming to all Windows devices
Wish you could put that Windows app purchase on your phone bill rather than rack up a separate charge? Microsoft just made your day. It's bringing carrier billing to all Windows devices, so you only have to make one payment to cover everything. There are 90 providers involved, too, so there's a very good chance that your network of choice is eligible. The move is welcome, if not totally surprising. When Windows 10 focuses heavily on universal apps that run on both phones and PCs, it only makes sense to pay through your carrier on whichever hardware you use.
O2 now lets you charge iTunes credit to your phone bill
O2 already has a number of deals in place that allow its customers to buy digital wares and charge the cost straight to their phone bill. It now has a new partner in Apple, as the carrier's "Charge to Mobile" program has been expanded to include iTunes vouchers this week. Direct-carrier billing is supposed to be about convenience, but O2 contract and pay-as-you-go customers need to jump through a few hoops to take advantage of this new way to pay. It's handled through an O2 subsite -- o2vouchers.co.uk -- where you select an iTunes voucher of up to £30 that'll be emailed to you when the payment goes through. You then volunteer your mobile number, and you'll be sent a text you must reply to in order to approve the transaction. When the code eventually hits your inbox, you can use the credit in iTunes, iBooks and the iOS/Mac App Stores. A slightly more convoluted process than you were hoping for, we imagine, but at least you can get a fiver off a £25 voucher from now until this introductory promotion closes at the end of next week.
Sprint customers might get discounts on Spotify music subscriptions
Just because AT&T has Beats Music in its corner doesn't mean that other carriers can't offer a few audio-themed deals of their own. Case in point, Sprint: Recode claims that the network is announcing a partnership with Spotify that will offer discounts on the streaming service's Premium tier, including group bargains for Framily plan customers. Naturally, Sprint would continue to offer carrier billing; there would also be free Spotify trials to persuade fence-sitters. Neither of the companies are commenting on the rumor, but we'll reportedly get the full scoop at an event on April 29th.
Sony Entertainment Network and PlayStation Store add carrier billing for AT&T and T-Mobile
If you're stateside and still leery about using your credit card with Sony following 2011's hacking scandal, the company has a new way for you to pay: your cellphone bill. Following its UK debut, Boku carrier payment processing is on our shores now, allowing you to top-up your virtual wallet via, specifically, an AT&T or T-Mobile account. Oddly enough, these funds can only be used for purchases on the Sony Entertainment Network website and the PS3's PlayStation Store -- not the PS Vita's. We emailed to clarify this, but Sony only told us that it has "no plans to announce at this time."
Sony Entertainment Network introduces carrier billing in the UK
Sony Network Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment are teaming up with payments processor Boku to support carrier billing in the United Kingdom. The new feature, which is reportedly compatible with all UK-based carriers, will enable consumers to top up their account wallets by charging the addition directly to cellular accounts. You'll be able to add funds through Sony's account management website and the PlayStation Store on PS3 by choosing "mobile" as the payment option, typing in your phone number and authorizing the transaction by responding to an SMS. You'll be on your way to charging games, themes, Music Unlimited subscriptions, video content and add-ons in no time.
Verizon to preload PlayPhone-backed Games Portal on Android devices
Carriers often want to provide unique device software as a lure for their services -- like it or not -- and gaming is undeniably one of the more attractive hooks. It makes sense, then, that Verizon now says it will use PlayPhone's SDK as the framework for a new hub, Games Portal, on its Android devices. The effort will give any optimized titles direct carrier billing and a social component, as well as theoretically better exposure than what they'd get on a very crowded Google Play. Verizon will preload the portal on new devices from this spring onwards, in addition to updating some existing hardware. The code should be comparatively simple to implement, but we'd add that there's no guarantee of success: Verizon's last experiment with reviving the carrier-controlled app gateway didn't quite pan out.
FTC report on mobile payments raises concerns about 'cramming' on carrier billing
The FTC held a workshop on mobile payments last year, and it's now followed that up with a full report that raises a few concerns and offers some recommendations for the industry. Those include the expected issues of privacy and security, which the FTC encourages companies to step up their efforts on, as well as the issue of billing disputes. On that latter front, the FTC draws attention to one problem in particular known as "cramming," in which companies or individuals place fraudulent charges on a user's cellphone bill. As the FTC notes in the report, "there are no federal statutory protections governing consumer disputes about fraudulent or unauthorized charges placed on mobile carrier bills," and it further adds in a blog post that "the way mobile carrier billing works makes this a challenging problem to solve." It goes on to outline some consumer protection measures it says all carriers should adopt, and notes that it will further address the issue at a roundtable on May 8th. You can find the full report at the source link.
Mobile Miscellany: week of January 21st, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a new smartphone from Xolo to India, HTC's crackdown on a custom ROM distributor and the UK's largest mobile spectrum auction to date. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of January 21st, 2013.
Sprint adding Spotify Premium to carrier billing for Android customers starting November 11th
A few months back Sprint's Android customers gained the option to charge Google Play purchases to their monthly wireless bill. In an effort to keep the carrier billing party going, the Now Network will soon be adding this option for Spotify Premium customers. An anonymous tipster has shared with us that starting on November 11th, Sprint's Android clientele will be able to add the music streaming service's $10 monthly charge to their bill. While we're sure that some customers will take advantage of this new option, we can't help but long for the good old days when people could bill a new phone to their account. Ah, Sprint giveth and taketh away.
Google Play carrier billing goes live for impulse buyers on Verizon
Google gave the broadest of targets when it said Google Play carrier billing would reach Verizon in the "coming weeks" -- those last two words are often hints from companies that we shouldn't hold our breath. Call us surprised, then, when Google quietly takes the option live two weeks later. At least one Droid-Life reader has discovered that it's now possible to load as many as $25 in purchases per month on an existing Big Red smartphone bill and pay through just the one channel. The move puts all four major US carriers on the same page, and gives Verizon subscribers an incentive to splurge on apps and movies for that new Droid RAZR HD... so long as they remember to deal with the financial fallout afterwards.
Google to Verizon Android users: carrier billing coming to Play store
If you're on Verizon and don't feel like racking up your plastic when you buy Play store apps or content, the carrier will soon give you the option of putting it on your phone bill, according to a recent Google tweet. Mountain View's had the option for a while now, with T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T having already jumped on the app-billing bandwagon, which left Verizon as the final major to climb aboard. Other than saying that you'll be able to bill apps and music that way, details are scant -- but considering Big Red's whopping Android lineup, it's about time.
Mach inks carrier billing deal with Everything Everywhere, O2, Vodafone and Three in the UK
Not a month after Mach's last carrier billing deal, UK network providers Vodafone, Three, O2 and Everything Everywhere are getting in on the action. The company's direct billing solutions will initially allow the networks to charge app and online purchases straight to your bill, with in-app sales joining them at a later date. Don't expect this to be implemented immediately, however, as the agreement covers the back-end processing -- the individual carriers will be responsible for turning it on customer-side. They'll likely inform you when they hit the switch and your phone bill becomes a monthly surprise.
Skype strikes deal with Mach to expand direct carrier billing for credit purchases
Skype is always finding new ways of making it easier for users to spend money, and now it's extending its carrier billing options in a new deal with Mach. From October, more users than ever will be able to buy credit for the VoIP service then forget about it -- at least until the phone bill arrives. Purchases will initially be available through a web browser, but in-app functionality is expected in the future, although there's no word on exactly which network providers will be involved. We hope, however, that sometime next month, at least a few of those who enjoy Skyping on the move will appreciate sending the bill to their carrier.
AT&T now offering carrier billing services on Samsung's Media Hub video purchases
With other national (and international) carriers slowly enabling carrier billing on content purchases, it was only a matter of time before the second largest network in the States would start adapting said payment method. And while AT&T's been offering the service for application buys through Google Play, up until now it'd been leaving out all media-related goods. Luckily for some, the Rethink Possible outfit has announced its plans to begin offering carrier billing options inside Sammy's Media Hub, with the Captivate, Galaxy Exhilarate and that modish Galaxy S III to be among the first to help kick things off. Meanwhile, everyone's favorite phablet (aka Galaxy Note) and the somewhat aged Galaxy S II will be able to join the others as soon as they swallow up an upcoming software update. More importantly, are you planning to add those movie purchases to your monthly AT&T tab? Say the word in the comments below.
Telefonica partners with Facebook, Google, Microsoft and RIM for global carrier billing
Making a half dozen attempts to guess your login info or typing each digit of a credit card account certainly can get in the way of following through on impulse purchases, which is exactly how you'd categorize FarmVille cash or a featured flick that you know you may not have time to watch within the month. The solution is carrier billing, eliminating those precious seconds between impulse and reconsideration, and Telefonica has just signed on to offer the service to Facebook, Google, Microsoft and RIM account holders. The partnerships will enable O2 users in Germany or Movistar subscribers in Spain to charge purchases to their mobile phone accounts, for example -- in total, 14 Telefonica subsidiaries should be up and running with carrier billing by the end of the year, though some services, such as Google Play and Facebook, have already begun to roll out. Click through to the PR after the break for the full breakdown.
Facebook smooths the way for carrier billing on in-app purchases
Facebook has known for some time now that its app-monetization process was more SucksVille, than FarmVille. Now, it's just announced that it's rolling out the new silky-smooth two-step payment process. This means you can stock up on Farm cash sans typing, and forget about the real cost until your mobile bill turns up. Currently most US and UK networks are on board, but more international operators will be added as soon as they can. If you already have payments integrated in your app, you should be good to go, but if you don't, and you want a slice of the pie, there's an API and instructions via the source link.
Sprint's Android users get carrier billing in Google Play
American Android users started getting carrier billing in Google Play early this month through T-Mobile (and later AT&T), and now Sprint can join the party. Any app, book, music or video purchase can be tacked on to the monthly bill for your EVO 4G LTE instead of going through Google. The move leaves Verizon as the only major US carrier without a carrier billing option, so you'll have to sit tight if you own the original US Galaxy Nexus and hate the thought of a separate download bill. We've also heard nothing about regional carriers being on the roadmap, but we'll keep you posted.
Google Play adds carrier billing for music, movies and books
Don't feel like having media purchased through Google Play billed directly to your credit card? Well, now you can have those charges simply added to your monthly phone bill, provided you're on T-Mobile here in the US, or NTT Docomo, KDDI, or Softbank in Japan. According to Google's posting about the move, Sprint will soon be offering the option to pay for movies, books and movies purchased through Big G's market along side your voice and data plan. For T-Mobile subscribers that means both apps and content can simply be added to your tab, while AT&T is sticking with carrier billing for apps only at the moment. Conspicuously absent from the whole shebang, however, is Verizon, which has been one of the more prominent Android pushers here in the US. For a complete list of carriers with at least some direct billing features check out the more coverage link.
Facebook to simplify in-app payments with streamlined carrier billing
Need another watering can to irrigate those crops on your highly-profitable Facebook farm? Soon you may be able to boot that expense directly to your monthly mobile tab, just as you do with other necessities, like ringtones and emoticons. The social networking site is working with carriers to streamline billing, eventually enabling Facebook users to pay their app dues along with their monthly phone bill. Naturally, this is a win for developers, since eliminating the need to pre-purchase Credits or enter card information will result in an increased number of impulse purchases -- and let's face it, there's no line item for FarmVille in the monthly budget. Quite a few carriers appear to be on board -- AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon in the U.S.; Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and Vodafone in Europe; and KDDI and Softbank in Japan -- so it looks like devs should have plenty of reasons to celebrate. The service will be automatically activated once providers support it, enabling easier purchases for "hundreds of millions of people worldwide." Streamlined carrier billing is but one recent development, so hit up the source link for the full rundown.
