The video on demand platform Telly and the mobile payments company Fortumo announced a partnership for direct carrier billing in the Middle East.
Bahrain is the first country where the carrier billing partnership is now live, where customers can now subscribe to Telly by charging payments directly to their monthly phone bill or deducting payments from their prepaid balance.
In Bahrain, only 28% of people have access to credit cards. Meanwhile, smartphone penetration in the country stands at 100%, making it one of the best-connected mobile markets in the world. The gap between traditional payment methods and online access means that while most people are able to consume digital services online, a majority of them are unable to pay for premium content.
Carrier billing resolves this problem by making online payments available to any mobile phone owner. More insights on carrier billing in the Middle Eastern & African region can be found from Fortumo’s MENA market report.
Telly is using Fortumo’s direct carrier billing platform to collect subscription payments from its users. Using the latest carrier billing technologies made available by mobile operators, the platform allows Telly to use advanced features of carrier billing including free trials, recurring subscriptions, dynamic pricing and automated refunds.
At the same time, Fortumo manages the technical integrations on behalf of Telly, allowing carrier billing to be rolled out to multiple markets rapidly.
Eric Morhenn, CEO, Telly
We are pleased to partner with Fortumo to access more customers in MENA through billing connections with mobile operators. Direct carrier billing offers Telly customers a frictionless and secure payment solution that does not require credit cards or bank account information to make a purchase.
Andrea Boetti, VP of Global Business Development, Fortumo
The Middle Eastern region has strong potential for digital merchants due to its high income, and leading smartphone penetration rates. Telly has successfully tapped into this vibrant and multi-cultural region by making mobile operator partnerships a core part of their growth strategy.
