Skip to main content

Facebook rolls out carrier billing for mobile purchases

Facebook rolls out carrier billing for mobile purchases

/

Facebook this week began rolling out a carrier billing system that allows users to charge purchases of Facebook Credits directly to their cellphone bills.

Share this story

Facebook Credits
Facebook Credits

At this year's Mobile World Congress, Facebook announced plans to implement a "streamlined billing" system that would allow users to charge purchases of Facebook Credits directly to their cellphone bills. On Thursday, the social network began rolling out this feature across the site, in the hopes of capitalizing on its burgeoning mobile user base.

Under Facebook's previous system, users would have to go through a number of steps before purchasing digital currency on their mobile devices. Under some circumstances, this process could include up to seven steps, including SMS verification. With Facebook's new "low friction" approach, though, users can now buy credits in just two steps, as illustrated in the above screenshot. It's essentially the same system you'll find on Google Play, and one that could go a long way toward boosting Facebook's bottom line — especially since all the major carriers in both the US and UK are onboard. For a full list of supported international carriers, click here.