Gameloft, France: Enabling global M-commerce

Gameloft expands its global sales reach with Internet Payment eXchange.

Internet Payment eXchange provides Gameloft with WAP, Web and SMS payment services to sell mobile games direct to customers around the world.

Gameloft is a leading international publisher and developer of video games for mobile phones, with a distribution network in over 70 countries. The company creates games for mobile handsets equipped with Java, Brew or Symbian technology.

In 2007, Gameloft wanted to expand sales of mobile games into new countries, specifically Germany and the USA, and needed a payments aggregator with the global reach to support its growth.

Gameloft chose Internet Payment eXchange (IPX) to provide payment and messaging services due to Ericsson's global presence, excellent service and the extensive range of services offered. Local market knowledge and competitive payout rates were also deciding factors when selecting IPX.

Using IPX Payment clearing services, Gameloft is able to offer its customers a range of methods to purchase mobile games. Customers can purchase via their phone's browser using WAP billing, direct from the Gameloft website or via text using SMS billing. IPX also provides bulk messaging services to Gameloft for sending messages to customers and SMS shortcode services which allow customers to purchase games directly via SMS. Gameloft also uses subscriber information services from IPX in several markets to identify users from their mobile phone number (MSISDN). This allows the company to offer subscription-based services and a personalized user experience by linking this information to its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Richard Anell, Head of Sales, Ericsson IPX details the benefits of Ericsson IPX: "By having local staff across the globe, we are not only able to provide Gameloft with on the ground support, but we can also offer advice on potential new markets for expansion, which is a big advantage for them. Combining the reliability of our payment and messaging platform with our strong relationships with mobile operators, we are able to provide Gameloft with a robust and reliable m-commerce platform."

Dario Urbani, Project Manager, Gameloft explains why IPX was chosen: "The Global reach of IPX's payment services, especially in covering both the US and European markets, was a key factor for us, allowing us to continue the expansion of our distribution network. The excellent user experience is a great contribution as it helps to drive sales because it’s so easy to use."

Overview

Customer: Gameloft, France

Customer Objective

• Global platform for selling mobile games direct to customers

Ericsson Solution

• WAP Billing
• Premium SMS
• IPX Bulk Messaging
• SMS Shortcodes

Customer Benefits

• Extensive global reach through a single aggregator
• Local offices for support and market knowledge
• Competitive price and payout rates

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