Optus adds app payments directly to your monthly bill
Optus customers will now be able to charge app, game and TV show purchases from Google Play directly to their monthly bill, without having to enter credit card details with every purchase.
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Optus customers now have the option to pay for apps, games and TV shows from the Google Play store and charge the cost directly to their monthly Optus bill.
Android users with a post-paid Optus account will be able to sign up for the direct carrier billing service on Google Play through a one-time registration and validation process, either on their Android smartphone or Android tablet.
Customers can buy apps and content in Google's store without a credit card — the charge is simply added to their monthly Optus bill — and there is also a refund option for 15 minutes after the purchase is made (though this excludes in-app purchases).
Optus promises an easy set-up: just find the desired app or content on Google Play, click 'Buy' and then select 'Enable Optus Billing'. After following the steps to set up carrier billing and once the payment is authorised, the download will begin.
According to Optus' vice president of Mobile Marketing Ben White, the telco is also "helping prevent bill shock" by allowing customers to set up spend limits or to add a PIN for security.
"We're making it hassle-free for our Android customers," said White. "There's no need to store a credit card or worry about paying multiple bills — so they don't have to waste time before starting their next game of Angry Birds or buying extra lives in Candy Crush Saga."