MACH, the world leader in direct operator billing, and mobile payments leader payvia, today announced a partnership to integrate their carrier billing technologies providing customers with seamless worldwide mobile payment platforms. Building on the partnership, MACH will shortly launch its Direct Carrier Billing service in the US, leveraging payvia’s US footprint and relationships with the main mobile operators. This carrier billing service for app, in-app and online purchases, makes it easier than ever for end-users to complete transactions via their mobile phones.

payvia and MACH’s platforms monetize services for developers, app stores, online merchants and other content providers, opening a brand new revenue stream and letting them maximize revenues from online, in-app and app billing. By bringing their direct carrier billing technologies together in a seamless global platform, the partners will extend this frictionless payment option that is more secure, fast and convenient than both credit card and premium SMS billing. The ability to buy without a credit card also offers subscribers a more secure channel through which to pay for app and in-app goods, giving them peace of mind that they are not compromising sensitive information while making their purchases.

Michael De Jongh, Global Head of Sales, Mobile Billing and Payments, MACH, commented: ”MACH is committed to making the monetization of services easier for our customers. Through our Direct Billing Gateway, we offer a comprehensive billing service which provides the glue to unite application stores, content providers and merchants with carriers. payvia’s trusted brand and leadership in direct carrier billing in the US market makes them an ideal partner to bring our solution to the country. We are looking forward to redefining the mobile payment landscape together.”

payvia will leverage MACH’s European footprint and market strength to extend the benefits of its direct carrier billing platform to merchants who require a global roll-out with the same consistency, simplicity and speed payvia provides to customers in the US.

Darcy Wedd, President, payvia, commented: “MACH shares our view that carrier billing offers unique benefits over other mobile payment technologies and the company’s heritage in delivering frictionless payments for major application stores and merchants makes them an ideal partner for us. Direct operator billing offers a superior checkout on the mobile device and boosts the mobile ecosystem through new revenue streams which is why we strongly believe it to be the payment model of the future.”

Direct carrier billing for mobile applications, content and mobile internet services, allows providers to charge subscribers for services direct to their mobile phone bill or pre-paid balance. This creates a signficantly improved user-experience through the enhanced ‘One-Click’ purchase process and delivers greatly enhanced transaction completion rates. By removing the need for cumbersome Premium SMS or credit card payments, it increases the likelihood of customers continuing through to purchase.

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About payvia

payvia is a leading mobile and online payments company that allows consumers to make simple and secure payments via their mobile phone. By connecting directly to the carrier network, payvia enables consumers to pay for digital goods and services using their mobile phone, adding purchases directly to their carrier bill.

payvia is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Seattle and Boston and is part of the m-Qube, Inc. group, the leading carrier billing transaction network, with a heritage that has seen nearly $2 billion paid out to merchants and developers. payvia is backed by leading investors Silver Lake Sumeru, Montgomery & Co., and Trinity Ventures. Visit us at www.usepayvia.com.

About MACH

MACH is the leading provider of cloud-based, managed communications services for monetizing mobile data, simplifying interoperability between networks, optimizing wholesale processes and protecting revenues. It is fast becoming the provider of choice for real-time, value added services that are essential for communications service providers around the globe to enhance customer experience, optimize wholesale processes and monetize their businesses in 3G and 4G mobile ecosystems. With its long heritage in data and financial clearing, settlement and hub based connectivity models, it provides its 650 operator customers with state-of-the-art tools needed to align business processes. Headquartered in Luxembourg, MACH has offices in 12 countries. Its customers include Orange, Telefonica, T-Mobile, Telus, Verizon Wireless and Microsoft, as well as enterprise messaging customers like KLM. For more information, visit www.mach.com, follow MACHconnects on Twitter or read The MACH Blog.