Mobile platform provider Bango has launched a Safe Subscription service that gives mobile users worldwide a simple, risk-free way to pay for mobile content, from ringtones and videos to news and blogs, on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis. The service makes it easy for consumers to sign up and manage their subscription accounts on the mobile Internet. Bango says it will restore public confidence in mobile subscription payments.
With the new Bango subscription service, users have a clear understanding of  what they are entering into, know exactly the status of each subscription and have a simple means of stopping future payments, says Bango CEO Ray Anderson. Having a single point of control and management avoids problems encountered with old-style disparate SMS subscriptions.
Mobile subscription revenues have suffered over the last two years as the public started to distrust subscription services. Some consumers found they had unwittingly signed up for regular payments or didnt get the content they had paid for because they mistyped a message, or their handset could not use the service.  Bangos Safe Subscription service addresses these concerns in a number of ways.
Bango ensures that consumers see the terms and conditions before confirmation of any payments, so its clear how much the service costs and what the frequency of the payments is. The integration with the payment flow in a mobile Internet session overcomes the problems of a disparate SMS message-based approach, where the terms and conditions are separated from the payment experience. 
Consumers also have an easy way of controlling their subscriptions. By visiting bango.net on their mobile phone, or clicking on a link from the content providers mobile site, they can clearly see the details and status of all their active subscriptions, with a one-click option to cancel future payments. This single point of control means consumers do not need to remember what they have signed up for or how to stop the subscriptions.
The user needs an Internet-enabled handset to sign up, but Bango points out that nearly all new phones are now Internet-enabled. The mobile Internet site offering the services detects handset capabilities, so they only offer content known to work on the users handset. This approach means consumers are not likely to subscribe for content they cannot access or use.
The service, due to go live before the end of the year, is part of Bangos global mobile payment platform, so users can pay for content on their phone bill, using PayPal or a credit or debit card. Content providers can offer subscription options along with a single one-time charge, one-time payments for defined periods and free access. 
Content providers can concentrate on their mobile site and their business model. The end user experience they require is automatically adapted by Bango to meet the best practice guidelines and mandatory requirements for each payment method and for each local market. The mobile Internet-based flow enables double opt-in requirements to be met in a much more user-friendly way than a complex exchange of text messages. Bango Safe Subscription service is fully compliant with the UK mobile operators Payforit trusted mobile payment scheme.
Content providers simply set the frequency and define the initial introductory and standard repeat prices. Bango ensures that there are no barriers to signing up and takes care of the complexity, along with management and legal issues surrounding contractual agreements.
A safe and reliable subscription solution is critical for many mobile business models to succeed, says Richard Hawley, a Director of Gamemobile.co.uk. The new subscription service presents us with additional revenue opportunities that will have the full confidence of our customers.