Get the latest announcements from MEF Members across the mobile ecosystem globally in this weekly review of member news…
NBA to reach new fans in Europe and Africa with landmark international mobile payment partnership
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has partnered with mobile payment and marketing specialists PM Connect on an international deal for its premium live game subscription service, NBA League Pass.
The multiyear partnership will allow fans to subscribe to NBA League Pass through their mobile phone and without the need of a credit card. Beginning next season, fans in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, South Africa, Spain and the U.K. will be able to add a NBA League Pass subscription to their mobile phone bill via direct carrier billing (DCB).
Christopher Purdie, Chief Commercial Officer at PM Connect, said: “PM Connect’s mobile-first approach will be a key piece in the puzzle to provide payment options for all NBA League Pass subscribers. Our partnership will help connect NBA League Pass to audiences in some of its biggest territories outside of the U.S., demonstrating the growth opportunity mobile presents for forward-thinking brands. “With the OTT market skyrocketing globally, it’s paramount that fans have every payment option available to them. By leveraging our MNO connections, we can help the NBA make its content more accessible to fans in multiple countries. We will also identify and reach the content-hungry fans who may not have enjoyed NBA League Pass yet, creating new audience segments for the brand.”
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Anam awarded Engineers Ireland’s CPD Accredited Employer Standard
Anam, the world leading independent provider of messaging solutions for mobile operators, has been awarded the much sought after CPD Accredited Employer Standard by Engineers Ireland in recognition of its continuing professional development (CPD) strategy.
Headquartered in Dublin, Anam has established itself as a leading provider of independent SMS Firewall and A2P Monetisation services, with its systems processing billions of messages daily across 85 countries for more than 650 million subscribers. It has built its success on a culture of innovation and by recognising that people are its greatest asset. Anam has set out a clear priority to develop all employees, to invest in culture, people and create a diverse and inclusive work environment and recognises that becoming an accredited employer and having CPD at the heart of its people strategy will provide a strong foundation for its future growth, expansion and success.
Padraig Murtagh, Director of Engineering at Anam, commented: “Anam has benefited hugely from participation in Engineers Ireland’s CPD programme, impact of which has exceeded our expectations. Having a formal framework for continuous learning at a company level ensures our capabilities keep pace and often exceed industry standards, while at a personal level it acts as a motivational influence for staff to pursue individual interests and broaden their perspectives. The reaction of staff overall to the CPD initiative has been very positive with many using it as an opportunity to upskill themselves beyond their day-to-day role.”
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Boku teams up with mobile service providers to launch mobile identity services in France
Mobile payment and identity solutions provider Boku and French mobile services providers SFR, Orange and Bouygues Telecom have announced a partnership to launch mobile identity products aimed at protecting consumers against cyber-hacks, account takeover attacks, SIM swap attacks, and other forms of digital fraud.
Stuart Neal, General Manager for Identity, Boku, commented, “We are honored to partner with SFR, Orange and Bouygues Telecom to introduce a safer and more seamless digital world for mobile users in France. Boku has already built the most comprehensive network of direct mobile operator connections for identity and extending our capabilities into France is a major milestone as we continue to expand globally.”
According to Boku, its Digital Identity Proofing solution will match mobile subscribers account registration details to new account registration information to ensure that new accounts are being created by the person, and not a fraudster. The Phone Number Verification (Authentication) solution will verify mobile number possession directly on the device by using its built-in connectivity to the mobile operators’ wireless network. The company will also be able to provide signals around changes to the SIM card, phone number changes and reassigned numbers to further curb various common tactics of fraudsters.
Richard CROFT, Head of Value Design, Bouygues Telecom, commented, “As an ISP we have the means to provide extra protection to our customers’ personal information as they use digital services online. As such this partnership is key in ensuring the rapid deployment of Mobile ID, a service portfolio built in collaboration with our industry peers, where privacy-by-design is a core value. We also expect the partnership to support our continued efforts towards improving the quality and reach of such services.”
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Telenor Bulgaria to deploy 5G network on June 10
Telecommunications company Telenor Bulgaria, part of Dutch-registered PPF Group, said on Friday that it has scheduled the commercial nationwide launch of its 5G service for June 10.
By the summer the 5G network will cover the major cities in Bulgaria, as well as the main seaside resorts, Telenor Bulgaria said in a statement adding that it will continue to widen its coverage and add new locations.
Telenor’s goal is to become a market leader in terms of 5G coverage and network experience by the middle of 2022, according to the statement.
“Telenor’s ultimate goal is to launch its 5G network with a fully built ecosystem consisting of all must-have elements to enable its customers with 5G experience and top-notch quality in a meaningful way,” the company noted.
Earlier this month, Bulgaria’s communications regulator awarded 20-year 5G frequency licences with national coverage to the three main telecommunication companies operating in the country – A1 Bulgaria, Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC), operating under the Vivacom brand, and Telenor Bulgaria. Telenor Bulgaria was awarded a licence for a 3500-3600 MHz band for a proposed price of 4.1 million levs ($2.5 million/2.1 million euro).
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Telkomsigma to Deliver Synchronoss Personal Cloud to Indonesian Varsities
Synchronoss Technologies recently announced its partnership with Telkomsigma, the IT arm of Telkom Indonesia Group, to deliver the Synchronoss Personal Cloud Solution to Indonesian universities.
The Telkom Community Cloud will be offered to students at 25 universities as a tool to securely store, share and transfer academic documents with their professors, school groups and peers.
The white-label Synchronoss Personal Cloud solution will run on top of FLOU, Telkomsigma’s multi-cloud platform. First-year students at selected universities will be able to join the new cloud solution beginning in September, with thousands of additional students phased in over the next three years. At the end of the three-year onboarding process, 450,000 students are expected to have access to the new Synchronoss-powered personal cloud solution. Students also will have the option to continue using a paid version of the same solution after they graduate, giving them the ability to access, store and share their academic files, photos, videos and other personal content long after they have left their educational institutions.
