Indonesia's Smartfren has launched direct carrier billing for the operator's 12.5 million subscribers, in collaboration with mobile payments company Fortumo.
The partnership will allow Smartfren to support carrier billing from Google Play and the Windows Phone Store, as well as select digital media and gaming companies.
The World Bank estimates that only around 5 million of Indonesia's 250 million citizens have a credit card, limiting most customers' access to online content. By contrast over 65 million Indonesians own a smartphone.
“With direct carrier billing supported by Fortumo, our subscriber will be able to purchase their in-app items and premium memberships as easy as deducting their own Smartfren balance or bill, and this is fully supported by our widest 4G LTE network for the best experience to enjoy the services,” Smartfren SVP of digital services Revie Sylvaina said.
In August, Smartfren rival Indosat Ooredoo made a similar deal to bring Fortumo's direct carrier billing services to its own mobile customer base. Fortumo has also recently announced partnerships with Tri in Indonesia and Globe Telecom in the Philippines.