Boku's Google Carrier Billing Collaboration Lands in Lithuania

Carrier billing provider Boku will offer its service in Lithuania through an expansion of its partnerships with Google and Bite.

The carrier billing payment option will be available through Google Play, allowing consumers to purchase apps, games, music, movies and digital books, as well as in-app purchase. The bill payment will be made through Bite, the country's third largest cell phone carrier, Boku said in an Aug. 18 blog.   

Boku views Lithuania as a prime market for its services, saying the country overall has low payment card penetration.

Expanding partnerships has been San Francisco-based Boku's recent mode of operation. Earlier this month, the company expanded its service with Microsoft for customers in the U.K. and Italy. 

It did the same with digital music service Spotify four months ago, making it possible for consumers in Germany and Italy to subscribe to Spotify using their mobile phones.

The partnership with Microsoft came late last year, which launched carrier billing for digital content for the first time on Windows 10 through Sprint in the U.S. and Swisscom in Sweden.  

That major announcement came right on the heels of Boku's reported role in bringing carrier billing to Apple's iTunes in the Russian market. Boku was unable to comment on that deal, but it was believed to be similar to the one it completed with Apple in Germany through Telefonica O2.