Bango goes live with Mozilla

RNS Number : 1076L

Bango PLC

07 August 2013

 



7 August 2013

BANGO PLC

("Bango")

Bango goes live with Mozilla 

Bango powering mobile payments for the first Firefox OS launch markets

Bango (AIM: BGO), the mobile payment and analytics company, announces the integration of the Bango Payments Platform with Mozilla's Firefox Marketplace is now live. This follows the announcement in June 2013 that an agreement had been signed with Mozilla Inc.

Bango is providing operator billing and other billing options, as well as collection and settlement for content purchased through Firefox Marketplace. The Bango Payments Platform enables users of Firefox Marketplace to easily purchase digital content without the need for a credit or debit card, charging the cost of digital purchases directly to the users' phone bill instead. Bango's unique billing identification technology ensures users enjoy one-click operator billing, paying on their pre or post-paid phone bill. As a result, Bango achieves industry leading conversion rates.

The service has launched for Firefox OS customers in both Spain and Colombia through the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) Telefónica, and in Poland through T-Mobile. In addition, Venezuela has launched using Bango's credit card billing connectivity initially,to be followed by operator billing. Further markets are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. These launches leverage Bango's established direct billing partnerships with T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom and Telefónica Digital's BlueVia billing platform, which offers a single billing integration across Telefónica's multiple operating businesses.

Today's announcement represents further endorsement of operator billing as the fast-path to mobile monetization in all territories and particularly in fast-growing, developing markets. Credit cards have low penetration on a global basis and are weighed down by high fixed costs and minimum transaction values. The mass market combination of phone and phone bill means operator billing is ideally suited to high volume, low value transactions for digital content and services, which is highly attractive for developers and publishers.

Firefox OS smartphones are the first built entirely to open Web standards. With more than 20 hardware and operator partners around the world, Firefox OS is filling the need for a fully adaptable, unconstrained mobile platform to deliver an innovative and customizable mobile Web experience that people are missing today. It is an extension of the Firefox desktop and mobile browsing experience that hundreds of millions of people know and love, with all the security, privacy, customization and user control Firefox always delivers.

Ray Anderson CEO of Bango said: "Firefox Marketplace is the first app store to embrace operator billing from launch. We're proud that Mozilla has chosen Bango, and we are pleased to be opening-up direct operator billing for our partners in these exciting, emerging smartphone markets. For many consumers in fast growth markets, a Firefox OS device will be their first smartphone. Operator billing from Bango enables every user of a smartphone to pay for apps and other digital content with one-click, without exception and even over Wi-Fi."

Rick Fant, Vice President, Apps and Marketplace for Mozilla added: "Bango will enable Firefox Marketplace to provide flexible monetization for developers and simple payment options for users, with tailored support as Firefox OS devices reach new markets around the globe."

The Bango Board believes it is too early to accurately forecast the level of business which it may generate.

For Further information please contact:

Bango plc		Newgate Threadneedle		Cenkos Securities plc
	Tel. [phone] www.bango.com		Tel. [phone]		Tel. [phone]
	Ray Anderson, CEO		Fiona Conroy		Ken Fleming
	Gerry Tucker, CFO		Caroline Evans-Jones		Neil McDonald
			Jasper Randall

About Bango

In the era of mobile technology, collecting payments has emerged as a central and complex challenge. Bango powers payment and analytics on the mobile web, providing users with a massively smooth payment experience.

Bango's pervasive presence across the web creates a platform effect for partners, identifying hundreds of millions of users and maximizing the number of one-click payments. Global leaders plug into Bango: customers include Facebook (NASDAQ: FB), BlackBerry World (NASDAQ: BBRY), Windows Phone Store (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and major mobile brands including CNN, Cartoon Network and EA Mobile.

 

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