Cripes - just two months after signing up Amazon.
What a corker for the veteran UK mobile payments specialist. Publicly floated Bango has enjoyed mixed fortunes in recent years, as it has realigned its business to adapt to the switch from D2C content to operator portals to app stores.
But now it can boast a customer base including RIM, Opera, Amazon and Facebook.
The firm declined to go into detail about the Facebook contract, and put out a statement saying that due to “commercial sensitivities and the early nature of the relationship” no specifics of the contract are being publicised.
However, it's fairly obvious that the deal will revolve around Bango's ability to process direct to bill operator payments.
Such billing is regarded as quicker, more secure and more democratic than credit cards or PayPal. It also unlocks the vast and growing number of Facebook users in emerging markets.
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Its no secret that Facebook wants to become a social commerce marketplace. It is already developing its Facebook Credits payment system for virtual goods (ie games) offered on its platform. It already works with companies like Zong to enable top ups using carrier billing.
The social giant is coming up to its IPO and has previously stated its inability to monetise mobile at present
Strictly speaking mobile payments are not specific to its mobile site or apps (and would be impossible to implement on any iOS app because of Apple's restrictions), but the Bango deal does indicate yet again the importance of the mobile channel to Facebook's future.
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