Fifty mobile operators now offer direct billing to developers on Blackberry App World app, according to a release from RIM.
RIM said that customers show a tendency to buy more apps when carrier billing is enabled. On average, 75% of gross sales are transacted through the carrier when direct billing is enabled, and RIM added that “average carrier revenues derived from apps increased between 100%-300% after launch”.
You can see a list of carriers with direct billing to Blackberry here. Of the major global operators, perhaps the main missing name is Orange, whilst only AT&T and T-Mobile are signed up in the USA. There is also very limited sign-up in Asia Pacific, with only the Indonesia operators XL and Indosat represented, as well as Telstra in Australia.
Ray Anderson, CEO, Bango, whose mobile payment platform enables charge-to-bill payments in BlackBerry App World, said, “We’ve seen smartphone users rely increasingly on the ability to charge the costs of digital goods to their carrier bill, and with RIM, we’re providing them with a frictionless payment experience.”
Dario Talmesio, Principal Analyst, Informa Telecoms & Media, said, “Mobile operators recognize that RIM works closely and constructively with them and with more than 50 operators now offering integrated carrier billing it’s a great milestone that shows these relationships are productive. Mobile operators recognize the business benefits this service provides and the opportunities for repeated customer engagement on BlackBerry App World.”