Direct Carrier Billing and Boku’s e-money: from digital to physical purchases

Until recently, in Europe, direct carrier billing (AKA direct operator billing) was restricted to the purchase of digital goods and operated under an exemption to the European Union’s Payment Services Directive (PSD). This regulatory framework was largely established to deal with the purchase of ringtones and wallpapers. Now however, it’s possible for carrier billing providers to operate in full compliance with the PSD using an e-money licence, enabling carrier billing to be used for physical purchases, presenting a major new commerce opportunity. MEF member Boku is one such company that …

Why Direct Operator Billing Is Back In Style

From its early beginnings as a convenient way to purchase a ringtone or game with a premium rate SMS message, paying with your mobile bill has come a long way. Today, Direct Operator Billing (DOB) (sometimes referred to as Direct Carrier Billing) is recognised globally as a highly convenient way to pay for all kinds of digital goods and services. At the same time, the plethora of mobile payment wallets which have been launched over the last year and the global consumers’ increasing appetite to pay for physical goods over their mobile presents a challenge to existing incumbents. So what does …

MEF Members elect new North and Latin America Boards

MEF, has announced the results of its 2014 North America and LatAm board elections for the 2015/2016 term.  In total ten new regional Board Directors were elected by MEF members during second annual MEF Global Forum in Silicon Valley.  Each Board member will contribute to the direction of MEF, helping the organization to champion initiatives around mobile money, consumer trust, innovation and monetization across the international ecosystem. Rick Fant, VP Planning and Ecosystems at Mozilla is elected as the new Chairman for MEF’s North American board and is joined by newly elected Co-Vice …

M-Commerce in LatAm – the challenges and opportunities, Filipe Roup Rosa

Filipe Roup Rosa, MEF LatAm Chair and Business Director of Latin America for Boku, takes a look at the future of m-commerce in LatAm, and the crucial role MEF has to play in the region. About ten years ago the mobile device was primarily used for voice calls and text messages. We have seen the industry rapidly evolve to a point where mobile devices are no longer just an occasional communication tool, but a form of expression, personality and socialization. This customization was facilitated in large part by the explosion of mobile content such as ringtones, wallpapers and games. The …