I’m building a music-based social network, users should be able to buy music and pay with the airtime on their phone. Any ideas on how to implement that type of payment? I’ve checked out services like Fortumo, I’m just hoping there’s a better way of implementing it. Help a brother out.
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Well the only thing I know about paying with airtime is that Telcos take a huge sum from the money you get. You will be very lucky if you get up to 30% Check . http://www.infobip.com/
Yeah, that’s the issue I have with Fortumo too.
You can check out Rancard .We’ve worked with them on a similar airtime billing product. Some of their clients include First Bank of Nigeria, Google, Intel, IrokoTV, etc. The standard deal however, is 70:30 revenue split in favour of the MNOs (Ouch!). Rancard also takes an insignificant cut(<3%).
Airtime billing is SUPER convenient but the main issue would be how the revenue split plays with your unit economics.
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How much airtime will get me one song or an album?
We are thinking 30NGN/track and at most 200NGN/Album.
Thanx bro. I’ll check it out
I hear Glo takes up to 90%. Dem for just collect everything, then take the app source code, your university certificate, your bae and your share of your father’s inheritance!
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Ha’annnn, that’s unfair!!! 90%??? The idea is defeated then.
Really not fair, how much are they expecting you to charge customers
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The higher you charge the higher the get based on the sharing percentage already skewed in their favour. Until mobile/online payment is cracked, we will continued to be run over by them big boys mentioned. They don’t care about your business surviving… so if you charge more, you get less as the total revenue is significantly reduced by the hoards of buyers fleeing.
I am very must interested in payment services, i will follow this thread keenly 
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During the days of 2go, does it mean they did the 70:30 thing with all the telcos?
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I can help you implement the airtime payments but have it in mind that all they’ve said about the ridiculous revenue shares is true.
Veekthur, before you build, how would you solve the problems about piracy…
really excited about ur idea tho
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Just a note: If you plan on distributing your app through Google Play and Apple’s app store, according to their terms and conditions, your app might get suspended/rejected if you do not use their respective proprietary in-app billing services for IAP, so using external airtime payments might not be an option.
I’m also interested in alternative in-app purchasing methods, so I’d like to know how you go about it.
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Why does it have to be a mobile app? I was thinking web along. When people want to download a song, they go to their browser and search
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It doesn’t.
I guess he could go the Financial Times route and build it for the web. Not only can he get away from the IAP restriction, he also doesn’t have to handover the 30% to Google/Apple.
Although…30% seems to be a far better deal than the 70% - 90% cut the local mobile networks are charging 
its a web application i intend to build not a mobile app
I feel this is perfect for web. Besides your billing problem, you now have to make sure your sites pops up as one of the top results when people search.