The mobile operator group Deutsche Telekom and the mobile technology company Fortumo announced the launch of direct carrier billing in Slovakia.
2 million Telekom Slovakia subscribers can now make payments in app stores, games and for digital content by charging the purchases to their mobile phone bill. Slovakia is the second country where the companies have launched a payments partnership, having introduced carrier billing in Czechia last year.
55% of Slovaks already have a smartphone while only 17% own a credit card. This means the majority of people consuming online content are unable to make payments for premium services using traditional payment methods. Carrier billing resolves this problem by enabling any phone owner to purchase content by either charging it to their monthly phone bill or deducting it from their prepaid SIM card.
The added reach, convenience and security of carrier billing has made it a popular choice for online payments in the Central & Eastern European region. According to Superdata Research, carrier billing accounts for 20.9% of all digital gaming transactions in the region while the share of bank cards is 18.1%.
Fortumo provides carrier billing to app stores including Google Play, digital media providers including Spotify, iflix, Sony, HOOQ, Gaana and gaming companies like EA Mobile, Gameloft and Kinguin, offers local market insights and facilitates relationships with mobile operators.
Recently, Telenor in partnership with Fortumo launched direct carrier billing service in their 7th market, Serbia.
Martin Koppel, CEO, Co-Founde of Fortumo
As a growing proportion of consumers’ online time is shifting to smartphones, digital merchants are looking to integrate payment methods that have the best reach and conversion on those devices. Carrier billing helps merchants increase their revenue and we are excited to be working with Telekom Slovakia to help them achieve this.
