SingTel (ASX: SGT), a leading telecommunications provider in Asia, and Boku, Inc., the global leader in carrier billing and cross-platform mobile payments, today announced a partnership to launch carrier billing in Singapore.
Merchants offering carrier billing-based mobile payments will generate incremental revenue from consumers who find mobile the easiest way to pay, and attract new consumers who previously were unable or unlikely to pay via other payment options, such as credit and debit accounts. When making purchases from their favorite merchants, consumers will benefit from a convenient and secure payment experience that is accessible to SingTel postpaid subscribers. SingTel plans to expand this payment mechanism to other regional carriers within their group including Optus (Australia), Telkomsel (Indonesia), AIS (Thailand), and Globe (Philippines)
SingTel's feature-rich direct billing API supports the following features:
-A more efficient user authentication process that delivers better conversion for merchants
-More accurate and timely notification of billing errors giving consumers greater transparency
-Continuous pricing enabling merchants to create a wide range of price points and free promotions
-Recurring billing functionality that provides flexibility to merchants with subscription based services
"With SingTel, we are connecting to a leading global carrier that supports advanced features such as multiple country connection, direct user authorization, continuous pricing, and streamlined refund capabilities," said Kurt Davis, General Manager of Boku in Asia. "This partnership gives us the ability to offer our merchant partners carrier billing functionality across the entire Southeast Asia region. It will help them increase conversion rates and grow revenue, all while simplifying the purchase process for consumers."
SingTel postpaid subscribers can immediately begin paying with their mobile account at participating merchants.