Apple Rolls Out iTunes Carrier Billing Feature to Switzerland and Taiwan

[MacRumors]

Apple has green-lighted its carrier billing feature for iTunes users in Taiwan and Switzerland, allowing them to charge app and media transactions directly to their cellphone bill (via Mashable).

The two countries join Germany and Russia in allowing customers to pay for music, movies, apps, books (excepting Taiwan, since Apple doesn't sell books there), Apple Music memberships, and other iTunes content with just their phone number, instead of using a credit or debit card.

At present, the option in Taiwan is only available to Far EasTone contract holders, but is expected to roll out to other carriers soon. Salt (previously Orange) reportedly lets its customers use carrier billing in Switzerland, but we're still waiting to learn which other carriers in the country support the feature.

Users wanting to take advantage of carrier billing can sign into the iTunes Store or App Store, navigate to the 'Payment Information' section, and choose 'Mobile Phone' from the payment options list. Further details can be found on Apple's support page covering mobile phone billing.

Apple debuted the billing scheme in Germany back in October 2015, before rolling it out to users in Russia a month later. Apple is likely to continue to expand the initiative to more countries as it seeks to secure deals with carriers for lower transaction handling rates.

Article Link: Apple Rolls Out iTunes Carrier Billing Feature to Switzerland and Taiwan

 

[SandboxGeneral]

That's an interesting way to pay for stuff, almost like Apple Pay in a certain aspect.

 

[Avieshek]

That's the exact thing for India!

 

[skofgar]

Several years ago it was already possible to use the carrier bill of Swisscom to pay for apps, music etc in the iTunes Store in Switzerland. In the last two years this option has disappeared though. So it almost seems like a reintroduction.

 

[69Mustang]

I don't think this would fly in the US. No, I mean I don't think this should fly in the US. Carriers are notorious for bill stuffing. If you add real billing, it's just that much more easy for them to hide their crap billing in with the legitimate.

 

[Robert.Walter]

1. Until Swisscom gives me frequent flyer miles for such transactions, I'll stick to paying for iTunes with my Amex card. (Also, Swisscom won't accept paying a bill with a credit card.)

2. I wonder if this is a prelude to some kind of workaround letting Apple Pay charges bill through Swisscom for the 99% of Swiss folks that don't have a credit or debit card that works with Apple Pay due to the boycott of the banking cartel.

 

[mfvisuals]

If I recall correctly, there was time where apps were billed to the carrier by default, but that was in the pre-iPhone era, when "apps" you got for your mobile device were provided by the carrier directly.

I believe this was the case for a Motorola Razr phone that I had, as well as a couple of Sony Ericsson non-touch screen devices too.

However, I don't think that this is a good idea. In the United States at least, most carriers are notorious for billing customers for things that they didn't ask for with their phone service and this would just add to that complexity.

I have thankfully avoided such issues so far.