Bango Reports WAP Billing Gains Momentum in the US as Industry Adapts to Challenges...

Bango Reports WAP Billing Gains Momentum in the US as Industry Adapts to Challenges and Adopts Mobile Web

Leading content providers choose WAP billing to deliver a superior
consumer experience
NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Bango reports a shift in the way mobile content is sold in the US
with WAP billing gaining momentum as the industry realizes the mobile
web delivers a superior and safer consumer experience. Key
stakeholders in the mobile industry ranging from mobile operators,
leading content providers, the Mobile Marketing Association are
supporting WAP billing for mobile content sales, according to Bango
which powers off-deck WAP services.

In the last three months alone, Bango has seen a four-fold
increase in the number of WAP transactions in the US. Leading content
providers including Gameloft and Dada Entertainment are choosing to
sell their content using Bango's mobile billing relationships with
AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel and Virgin Mobile.

This means over 130 million subscribers on these networks can now
pay for mobile content either per download or as a subscription. They
charge it to their phone bill using the same familiar "browse and buy"
experience used on the PC internet and their operator's deck.

WAP billing has become popular because it delivers a more
transparent payment experience. Customers can see the price and
conditions of purchase before they click to pay. And, because users
choose to buy content and then pay in one seamless internet session,
there is little room for error as compared to the two-step Premium SMS
process.

"The shift to WAP browse and buy is a solid response to the recent
claims of inappropriate charging of consumers," said Anil Malhotra,
SVP of Marketing at Bango. "Content providers are adapting to these
challenges by using WAP to deliver a clean, clear buying experience
for the user. Their business also benefits with far low customer
service costs."

The improved consumer experience delivered by WAP billing brings
the benefit of significantly lower customer care costs with refund
levels of less than 0.1%, compared to levels approaching 10-20% where
content is purchased with Premium SMS (source: industry research firm
iGillot).

This is what key stakeholders in the mobile industry had to say
about WAP billing:

"The mobile web market is booming in the US - 65% of all new
phones purchased are now music-enabled," said Massimiliano Pellegrini,
Chief Executive Officer, Dada Entertainment. "WAP billing offers an
easy, seamless experience for our Dada.net consumers and fits in well
with our overall mobile music strategy."

"WAP billing provides a better consumer experience through its
phone recognition system, a better user-flow and a clearer offer,"
explains Jean-Sebastien Laverge, US D2C Manager, Gameloft. "All of
which, increases consumer satisfaction and drives more volumes in our
off-deck sales."

"We continuously strive to offer great user-experiences to our
Virgin Mobile customers. Bango's WAP Billing model enables an improved
off-deck shopping experience, and greater control for adherence to the
MMA's best practices guidelines. It provides a win-win situation for
the operator, content provider and end-users," said Lauren King,
Manager, Off-Portal Content, Virgin Mobile USA.

"Through the MMA's Consumer Best Practices, we've achieved the
standardization of a cross-carrier, consumer-friendly model for
off-deck WAP services, which today continues to influence the rapidly
growing mobile marketing industry," said Laura Marriott, president of
the MMA. "The MMA continues to work with our members to generate
industry-wide practices and guidelines to ensure the best outcomes for
all."

More businesses are now launching a mobile web presence so they
can engage directly with their consumers anytime and from anywhere.
Through a common integration point, Bango makes it easy for them to
drive traffic to a mobile website, understand who the visitors are,
track marketing campaigns and collect payment for digital content
worldwide. For more information on Bango WAP billing in the US, go to
http://bango.com/payment.

About Bango

Bango delivers the technology that makes the mobile web simple.
Bango created the world's first global exchange for the mobile web. By
providing a common integration point for brands, businesses and
individuals, Bango removes the complexities that make the mobile web
difficult to exploit.

Bango is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (AIM:BGO). Learn more
at www.bango.com.

Keyword Tags: billing, mobile, mobile billing, WAP, wap billing

Bango:
Sarah Keefe, +44 7786 932016
VP Marketing
sarah@bango.com
or
Riedman Communications
Laurie Riedman, 585-396-3100
lriedman@rochester.rr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008