Boku has expanded its agreement with Microsoft to bring Boku direct carrier billing to the new Windows Store for the first time. As part of the integration with Boku, consumers will be able to use their mobile phone number to add their mobile operator account as a payment option when making purchases of applicable content in the Windows Store.
San Francisco-based Boku said that this is the first time carrier billing will be offered as a payment option to the full range of Windows devices, including mobile phones, tablets, PCs, or laptops. With this, carrier billing will be available to mobile subscribers on select carriers in the United States and internationally, with further expansion underway.
Citing data released by Microsoft, Boku added that Windows Phone carrier billing contributes, on average, an 8x lift in purchase rates in emerging markets and 3x in developed markets. Over 60% of Windows Phone Store monthly paid users originated from carrier billing.
Jon Prideaux, CEO of Boku
What’s worth highlighting about this particular implementation is that carrier billing will be offered across all Windows 10 devices, not just the mobile phone. This is consistent with the way in which we consume digital content today and proof that carrier billing is hardly just a payment method for on-mobile purchases. Its convenience, security, and ubiquity make it a great general-purpose alternative payment in any setting.
Todd Brix, Windows Store General Manger
The Windows Store is designed to be a one-stop shopping experience for free and paid digital content. We believe offering carrier billing is important to giving consumers a convenient payment method and driving developer monetization. We decided to work with Boku because of its team, technology, and carrier relationships.
