App analytics firm Bango has announced that its mobile payment platform has expanded its reach in North America to 200 million subscribers by adding carrier billing in Canada.

Bango Payment already operates in 120 countries worldwide, providing merchants – such as Sky and Fox Mobile – with a straightforward means of monetising payments from mobile websites or apps.

Mobile customers themselves benefit from a seamless one-click payment experience through Bango’s cross-platform system, which adds purchases made on a BlackBerry, Android, or Nokia handset directly onto the consumer’s phone bill.

In cases where operator billing isn't available, Bango supplies alternative payment methods in the form of PayPal and credit card.

Mass migration to mobile

"Outside Apple’s walled garden, direct carrier billing for apps and mobile web content has replaced premium SMS as the payment standard for mobile commerce," Anil Malhotra, SVP Marketing at Bango, said.

"Driven by the greater flexibility and reliability of direct carrier charging, the growth opportunity for m-commerce is enormous as usage of internet services migrates on mass from PCs to billions of mobile devices."

Bango's ambitions don't end with expansion in Canada. The company also openly targets two further strategic markets in 2011.

"This year we are opening-up mobile billing in Latin America and key Asian territories, and forecast coverage of 1 billion paying customers by year end – greater reach than any e-commerce system," Malhotra added.

"Bango self-optimises on-line payment from both smartphones and feature phones, meaning one connection to Bango delivers mobile payment worldwide."

[source: Bango]