Digital Lifescapes

Among the key assets of a mobile telecommunications service provider are its network infrastructure and its billing relationship with their customers. While its role as a retailer of content has declined, Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) offers a new revenue stream. Even though it will not provide a wholescale solution to the underlying profitable revenue challenges of mobile network operators, it may eventually equal or exceed MNO content revenue pre-storefront. According to the latest market study by Juniper Research, DCB could benefit players across the value chain -- including content developers, content publishers, aggregators, and consumers. This includes increasing the incremental revenue opportunities for the providers of both digital and physical goods. Mobile Content Payment Market Development Juniper Research has found that total spend over direct carrier billing will reach $100 billion for the first time by 2025 -- that's rising from $37 billion in 2020. They anti...

As more digital content migrates to online platforms, the trend moves away from content ownership and towards content access. It also means that the device on which you pay for the content may not be the device where you primarily access that same content. The value of digital content transactions paid for by telecom service provider billing is expected to reach $47 billion by 2020 -- that's more than four times 2015 results of just under $11.3 billion, according to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research. Exploring Digital Content Payment Options According to the study findings, Apple’s decision to test telecom carrier billing in Germany and Russia is likely to drive a substantial number of new deployments in the medium term. The move will be essential if Apple is to monetize unbanked owners of refurbished mobile devices in emerging markets, who would otherwise be limited to paying for content via iTunes gift cards. Mobile network service provider billing s...