Initially launching its operator billing payment service in the US, UK and Germany in September, Facebook is now welcoming mobile payments from users in France, after its processing partner Bango announced that its service is now live for Orange France subscribers.
With the payment service going live, Orange smartphone customers are free to charge digital purchases on Facebook to their mobile tariff, lowering the number of tedious steps often required to make a mobile payment and helping developers and businesses expand their digital offerings in the country.
Bango CEO Ray Anderson confirmed the launch earlier today: “We are delighted to be powering operator billing in France for Facebook. The enhanced user experience for smartphones and other connected mobile devices means that Facebook users who connect either through the Orange network or through WiFi can consistently pay on their Orange France phone bill.”
Anderson also reaffirmed Bango and Facebook’s commitment to rolling out mobile payments to other European markets:
“Bango and Facebook are currently working on rolling out this new development across the rest of France and additional markets in Europe.”
Bango’s technology, which is already powering solutions offered by Amazon, RIM (via its BlackBerry App World) and Google Play, was first tested by Facebook back in June, detailing ways for developers to integrate different mobile payment solutions into their apps.
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Facebook has already partnered with AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, T-Mobile USA, Verizon, Vodafone, KDDI, SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp. This means Facebook will likely add Japan to its list of supported countries in the coming months.
However, the company will be working to forge new deals with other European carriers as it works to integrate its service for Facebook users on the continent.
Image Credit: Karen Bleier/Getty
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