A new study from Juniper Research, the foremost experts in the telecommunications market, has found over 1.5 billion mobile subscribers will use carrier billing globally to buy either digital content, physical goods, or digital tickets, in 2025.
However, it warns operators that if they wish to capitalise on this sizeable user base, they must maximise attractiveness and value of the carrier billing opportunity to merchants by positioning their networks as distribution channels, rather than as mere payment facilitators.
Carrier billing is a mobile payment method allowing users to make purchases by charging payments to their mobile phone bill.
Operators Need to Become Content Distribution Channels
A key market driver in carrier billing has been the adoption of a new application programming interface (API) called ‘Check Out’ that emerged from the CAMARA project; an open-source framework that standardises APIs for telecoms networks.
Whilst this has been key to increasing subscriber access to carrier billing, the report warns deploying this API alone will not be enough to capitalise on the huge global carrier billing opportunity – with spend forecast to grow from $83 billion in 2025 to over $130 billion by 2029, according to Juniper Research.
The report urges operators to transform their networks into distribution channels; enabling mobile subscribers to purchase digital subscriptions via an operator’s consumer-facing platform. Unlike established bundling, this strategy is underpinned by the integration of content management services; allowing operators to have a direct billing relationship with their subscribers for digital content. Operators must maximise these platforms through revenue share agreements with digital service providers to capitalise on the large user base.