Facebook rolls out mobile billing system

Facebook rolls out mobile billing system

Facebook has moved to simplify the way developers charge for their mobile Web apps with the launch of a direct-to-carrier billing system.

The new process, outlined on Facebook's developer blog, requires users to take just two steps to make a payment - compared to seven, including SMS verification, for the old system.

Users who want to pay for a virtual or digital good in a mobile Web app just open the payment dialog and confirm their purchase.

The new system comes after the social network inked a deal with UK-based mobile billing and analytics firm Bango.

Initially unveiled at Mobile World Congress in February, the service has now gone live with US and UK giants including AT&T, Sprint, Vodafone and O2, with operators in more than 60 countries set to follow.

Facebook is keen to find ways to make money from the increasingly important mobile arena, admitting in filings ahead of its recent IPO that the shift to handsets is hitting advertising revenue.

Comments: (1)

Ketharaman Swaminathan
Ketharaman Swaminathan - GTM360 Marketing Solutions - Pune 08 June, 2012, 16:48Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes

"...the shift to handsets is hitting advertising revenue."

This is consistent with my findings with the mobile version of a couple of blogs, including Finextra's, compared to their PC versions. More details can be found by Google searching for "Will Mobile Blogs Impoverish Bloggers?".

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