WAP billing
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WAP billing is a mechanism for consumers to buy content from WAP Wireless Application Protocol sites that is charged directly to their mobile phone bill. It is an alternative payment mechanism to debit or credit cards and premium SMS for billing.[1][2] Using WAP billing, consumers can buy mobile content without registering for a service or entering a username or password.[3] The user clicks on a link and agrees to make a purchase, after which they can download content.[4][5]
WAP billing is particularly associated with downloading mobile entertainment content like ringtones, mobile games and wallpapers.[4][5] Some commentators have suggested it could compete with Premium SMS as a leading payment channel for mobile content.[6][7][2]
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[edit] How WAP billing works
WAP billing works with WAP-enabled mobile phones over a GPRS or 3G wireless connection.[8] The customer initiates a WAP session with the content service provider by browsing a WAP page, for example.[6] The WAP site hoster obtains the visitor’s MSISDN without the visitor having to register on a specific WAP gateway or service. This information is provided through integration with the operator's own MSISDN lookup service.
Consumers confirm a purchase by clicking on a ‘confirm purchase’ link on their mobile phone and the WAP billing platform informs the WAP application of the completed purchase transaction. Consumers are redirected to the content they have purchased.[9] The purchases are recorded and billed directly via the mobile phone bill using the MSISDN.[6]
[edit] Cross-operator WAP billing
Attempts have been made to create a single, cross -operator WAP billing platform that can support the purchase of products on any mobile network, including the ‘Payforit’ mobile payment scheme.[7][10][11]
Payforit provides a safe and trustworthy environment for consumers buying mobile content. A‘Trusted Mobile Payment Framework’ governs how merchants, accredited payment intermediaries and mobile network operators co-operate to make mobile payments a secure and seamless process. A set of ‘screen style’ rules govern how payment pages look and function so consumers can purchase content via a standardized interface presented on their mobile phones.[10][12]
Payforit was first announced in March 2006 and is supported by all licensed UK mobile operators. Initially, it supported micropayments (generally less than £10) for services purchased on mobile portals and from May 2007 the scheme was extended to support web transactions as well.[13] The Ericsson Internet Payment Exchange (IPX) cross-network WAP billing solution was the first mobile payment system to host a live payment service complying with the Payforit scheme in the UK, on the T-Mobile service.[1][10]
[edit] Benefits of WAP billing
The benefits cited for WAP Billing include the ability for under 18 year-olds to pay for goods without holding a credit card or bank account[14] and an improved customer experience including ‘Single click’ purchases where[11][15][16] transactions are completed without consumers having to send or receive a text message[4][5][17] or remember shortcodes.[6] It has been claimed that WAP Billing also reduces the possibility of fraud when paying for mobile content.[6] Another benefit cited for WAP Billing is the assertion that users experience the same ‘browse and buy’ experience they are used to via their PC on the Internet.[15]
[edit] References
- ^ a b 6 July 2006 (6 July 2006). "New Media Age, July 2006". Nma.co.uk. http://www.nma.co.uk/news/ericsson-ipx-puts-wap-purchases-on-phone-bill/28421.article. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b "New Media Age, June 2004". Highbeam.com. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-118891713.html. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "BNET, February 2006". Findarticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200602/ai_n16063017/. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b c Playphone, July 2008
- ^ a b c "Reuters, July 2008". http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS115504+16-Jul-2008+MW20080716. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Gang Lu (31 March 2006). "Mobinode, March 2006". Mobinode.com. http://www.mobinode.com/2006/03/31/premium-sms-billing-vs-wap-billing/. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b O'Brien, Stuart (22 August 2008). "Mobile Entertainment, August 22". Mobile-ent.biz. http://www.mobile-ent.biz/features/94/Bill-it-and-they-will-come. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "The Inquirer, July 2006". Theinquirer.net. http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1018738/ericsson-still-likes-the-wap-word. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ Ericsson Launches IPX in UK (6 July 2006). "The Mobile Weblog, July 2006". Mobile-weblog.com. http://www.mobile-weblog.com/50226711/ericsson_launches_ipx_in_uk.php. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b c "Mobile Marketing Association". Mmaglobal.com. http://www.mmaglobal.com/articles/ericsson-ipx-first-live-payforit-services-uk. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b O'Brien, Stuart (22 August 2008). "Mobile Entertainment, August 2008". Mobile-ent.biz. http://www.mobile-ent.biz/features/94/Bill-it-and-they-will-come. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "Hiloa, July 2008". Hiloa.com. http://www.hiloa.com/2008/07/ericsson-ipx-first-to-enable-launch-of.html. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "Payforit statement". Payforituk.com. http://www.payforituk.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "TM Forum, September 2009". Tmforum.org. 22 February 1999. http://www.tmforum.org/Community/groups/revenue_management_group/blog/archive/2009/01/09/billing-on-mobile-emerging-as-new-revenue-stream.aspx. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Reuters, September 10, 2008". http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS86195+10-Sep-2008+BW20080910. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "Mobile Marketing Magazine, September 2008". Mobilemarketingmagazine.co.uk. http://www.mobilemarketingmagazine.co.uk/2008/09/bango-sees-grow.html. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ O'Brien, Stuart. "Mobile Entertainment, July 2008". Mobile-ent.biz. http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/30965/PlayPhone-plugs-into-Ericsson-IPX. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
