Thai operator True Move selected Docomo Digital’s direct carrier billing platform in a move to boost customers’ access to content and services in app stores and from OTT merchants.

In a statement, the companies explained they partnered to develop a payments delivery platform covering app and content purchases from subscribers’ existing phone accounts. With almost 50 million internet users in Thailand, the pair estimated digital content sales already generate around $400 million per year.

True deputy group CCO Justin Ang said the collaboration would enable the operator to “bring a wide selection of apps and content to our customers in a way that is consistent with our vision for digital excellence”.

Docomo Digital explained its platform integrates business intelligence, bad debt management, subscription analytics and CRM capabilities into the operator’s backend systems, improving visibility of end-users and transaction data. It also provides end-to-end subscription management, allowing True Move to sign up new digital merchants quickly.

GSMA Intelligence data placed True Move as Thailand’s second-largest operator by connections with 30.2 million in Q1, 67.5 per cent of which were LTE users.