Fortumo has expanded its partnership with Spotify in South-East Asia to offer an expanded carrier billing program specifically for Spotify users in Indonesia (Telkomsel) and Thailand (AIS and DTAC).
In both Thailand and Indonesia, credit card ownership remains below 10% while more than 65% of the population already has smartphones. This means most consumers can access online entertainment but do not have a way to pay for premium content. Carrier billing solves this issue for digital service providers by giving any mobile phone owner the option to make online purchases and deduct the charges from their mobile account balance.
Spotify launched direct carrier billing with the new telcos through Fortumo’s Payments API. Using Payments API gives Spotify full control of the checkout flow and access to advanced features of carrier billing such as token-based authentication, dynamic pricing and an automated refunding process.
At the other end of the Payments API are Fortumo’s pre-integrated connections with telcos, which gives Spotify and other digital service providers a scalable way of rolling out carrier billing.
Andrea Boeti, VP of Global Business Development, Fortumo
Local payment options are crucial for companies looking to grow their user base and revenue internationally.
Patrik Falk, Head of Direct Subsciptions Spotify Asia Pacific
With this partnership extending further in Indonesia, and in Thailand, we believe more users will now be able to have instant access to unlimited music, personalized recommendation features, and the best playlists curated by music experts.
