Alongside the data, Opta also gives PM Connect access to daily video content, including interviews with managers and behind-the-scenes footage with players. 

The new contract is held with Opta’s parent company Stats Perform and runs until September 2025. Territories within the deal include European strongholds Belgium, Czech Republic, Spain, Slovakia and the UK, Egypt in the Middle East, and a host of African markets Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.

“PM Connect’s ambition is to be the sports distribution platform for Africa. The strengthening of our partnership with Opta until 2025 is a key pillar to this strategy. Giving sports-obsessed consumers the football content they crave direct to their mobile is what we’re all about, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. 

“We’re just scratching the surface of mobile distribution on the African continent. Having Stats Perform be so aligned with our vision and equally confident in its growth potential makes this an extremely exciting opportunity for both parties. I look forward to seeing how this develops to 2025 and beyond as we make football accessible to all across the EMEA region.”

James Brighton – Partnerships Director

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Connecting brands with people

WeAre8’s technology connects brands directly with people, making it easy and fun to watch brand videos, get paid and change the world in just 2 minutes a day.

Through our partnership, EE mobile customers can sign up to WeAre8 via EE Up, a new platform within the My EE app that offers exclusive experiences, rewards, competitions and benefits.

By watching a brand video and answering 1-3 short questions, customers receive up to 20p in their EE Up wallet, and a donation of 5% is also automatically given to charity.

Enabling charity donations

As the exclusive crediting partner, PM Connect is providing the technology that enables the credit to be passed from WeAre8 to EE customers – meaning EE is the only UK mobile provider to enable people to earn or save money in this way.

Customers can choose to donate to a charity of their choice, helping to end food poverty and reverse climate change, or they can contribute to their monthly phone bill using the earned money in the EE Up wallet.

This is our first exploration into crediting, expanding PM Connect’s offering to mobile carrier and brand partners.

World class technology

“We make it easy for brands to tell their stories to people in a way that guarantees attention and builds trust. In just 2 minutes a day, people can now watch brands videos, help pay their mobile bills and get a meal to someone in need.

 

“I am delighted to be working with PM Connect as its world-class technology links the WeAre8 and EE billing systems, making it easy for millions of people to auto-pay their mobile bills.”

 

Sue Fennessy, CEO and Founder, WeAre8

Diversifying our offering

“PM Connect is driven to partner with brands we believe in and share our values. Helping WeAre8 to carry out its mission in the UK to unite millions of people and thousands of brands, is something we’re proud to be a part of, while further strengthening our relationship with EE.

 

“Beyond mobile payments, we can work with carrier APIs in multiple ways – and the crediting tech we are providing for this launch is essential to the core functionality of the customer proposition. This is something we’re keen to build on as we diversify our offering for brands and carriers in the UK and internationally.”

 

James Brighton, Partnerships Director

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Not only is this the biggest deal in our company’s history, but also the single most significant deal partnering a sports OTT product with mobile payments in history!

“PM Connect’s mobile-first approach will be a key piece in the puzzle to provide payment options for all NBA League Pass subscribers.”

Fans can pay by mobile

The multiyear partnership will allow fans to subscribe to NBA League Pass through their mobile phone, without the need of a credit card.

Rolling out this and next season, fans in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, South Africa, Spain and the U.K. will be able to add a NBA League Pass subscription to their mobile phone bill via direct carrier billing (DCB).

The partnership will also expand the reach of NBA League Pass to new fans, as we will provide connections to over 300 million consumers across our network of over 20 mobile operators (MNOs) in the seven countries.

The NBA League Pass

NBA League Pass provides the most comprehensive live and on-demand access to an entire season of NBA games in high-definition with live stats, alternative audio and multiple viewing options.

Subscribers will have access to League Pass’ Next-Generation game viewing enhancements, including new camera angles, multiple in-language streams, celebrity influencer commentary, in-depth analytics and statistical graphics, and social media integration.

PM Connect’s technology caters specifically to fans on mobile – where they can pay without leaving the mobile environment, in seamless complement to the NBA’s existing activities. We will also use targeted mobile marketing to convert new and casual NBA fans into paying subscribers via direct carrier billing (DCB).

Best possible NBA experience

NBA League Pass is all about giving our fans the best possible viewing experience, anytime, anyplace. As more basketball fans enjoy content streamed directly to their mobile devices, we are keen to meet their needs and provide them with a mobile payment option best suited to their viewing habits.

“NBA League Pass is all about giving our fans the best possible viewing experience, anytime, anyplace. As more basketball fans enjoy content streamed directly to their mobile devices, we are keen to meet their needs and provide them with a mobile payment option best suited to their viewing habits.”

OTT market skyrocketing

PM Connect’s mobile-first approach will be a key piece in the puzzle to provide payment options for all NBA League Pass subscribers. Our partnership will help connect NBA League Pass to audiences in some of its biggest territories outside of the U.S., demonstrating the growth opportunity mobile presents for forward-thinking brands.

With the OTT market skyrocketing globally, it’s paramount that fans have every payment option available to them. By leveraging our MNO connections, we can help the NBA make its content more accessible to fans in multiple countries. We will also identify and reach the content-hungry fans who may not have enjoyed NBA League Pass yet, creating new audience segments for the brand.

The post PM Connect signs landmark deal with the NBA appeared first on PM Connect.

Launching today, consumers in France, Belgium, Spain and South Africa will be able to play more than 165 top tier games on their mobile phones through RemoteMyApp’s cloud streaming platform, Vortex.gg.

The Vortex app connects users to the best gaming experiences on the market – removing many traditional barriers to entry. Hosted in the cloud with processing done remotely, players don’t need to invest in powerful consoles or make expensive software purchases to run hi-spec games.

The cloud gaming market, set to be worth $5.3 billion by 2023, is an untapped opportunity for most MNOs – and this Vortex subscription package provides the first mobile deal of its kind within these territories.

The Vortex.gg platform is complemented by our ability to partner the product with MNOs, connecting new audiences to the games via distribution, digital marketing and mobile payments via direct carrier billing (DCB).

Once purchased via their mobile phone, subscribers will be able to download and use the Vortex app on all of their connected devices – including tablets, smart TVs and desktops.

Multinational launch

Our global network of MNOs has been instrumental to the multi-national deal, with the initial rollout in France, Belgium, Spain and South Africa – with Orange and Vodafone groups part of the first rollout, and many more carriers set to join them as 2021 progresses.

“Cloud gaming has a massive future. Our partnership with RemoteMyApp gives consumers the biggest streamed games on the market at an exceptional price point – making them accessible to anyone with a smartphone.

 

“Our deal gives MNOs the opportunity to monetise cloud gaming, connecting their users to an industry leading platform, all the while driving data-consumption and their 5G propositions to a captive audience.

 

“The democratisation of top-tier gaming experiences is something PM Connect is proud to facilitate and we are excited to progress the partnership in further markets. It’s an unmissable opportunity for MNOs.”

 

Chris Purdie, Chief Commercial Officer

The market is skyrocketing

Cloud gaming, or gaming on demand, works through hosting and storing gaming technology on remote cloud servers and streaming them to a user’s device via LAN, Wifi or their 4G connection.

This is set to become even more widespread with the rollout of further global 4G infrastructure in developing nations, alongside more mature markets that are pioneering 5G.

“It is my great pleasure to finally be able to talk about our cooperation with PM Connect. At RemoteMyApp, we understand how crucial it is to work with strong and recognized partners to bring cloud gaming closer to players worldwide which at the same time is a great way to popularize our solution.

 

“This will be the first B2B2C partnership for our product, Vortex.gg, and we look forward to seeing the effects of the joint actions. Having such a great partner, makes it possible for Vortex.gg to reach a bigger audience and provide the end-users with a frictionless purchase experience via DCB. It is no secret that the cloud gaming market is skyrocketing, and we are excited to bring RemoteMyApp’s cloud gaming technology into the hands of thousands of new players in the years to come.”

 

Andreas Hestbeck, CEO, RemoteMyApp

To find out more about how you can benefit from cloud gaming, please visit our contact page.

Learn more about the market by downloading our white paper – Cloud Gaming: The Unmissable MNO Opportunity.

The post Cloud gaming gets mobile turbo-charge appeared first on PM Connect.

vCreate allows parents, family and friends to see photos and videos of their premature baby whilst it receives hospital care, minimising separation anxiety. Use of the vCreate app has spiked in recent months following lockdown and hospitals utilising the app have increased from 65 pre-Covid to connecting families and babies across 170 hospitals across the UK.

The first charity to benefit from the application of our technology is the Emily Harris Foundation, based at King’s Mill Hospital Neonatal Unit in Mansfield. Founded by Neil and Clare Harris in 2008 in memory of their late daughter Emily, the Foundation provides relatives with babies receiving care at the unit access to the vCreate app alongside other forms of support.

Whilst fundraising methods traditionally relied on third party websites such as JustGiving or PayPal, our partnership with vCreate allows relatives to support their chosen unit through adding donations onto their monthly phone bill.

With the inclusion of carrier billing to the app, the donation process is significantly streamlined as relatives no longer need to input card details or go through a lengthy sign-up process. To make things even easier, we have also devised a feature which means that donations can be made outside of the app simply through the use of a shareable link.

Clare Harris, Foundation Manager at the Emily Harris Foundation, said:

“Myself and my husband, Neil, started the Foundation in 2008 in memory of our beloved daughter Emily Harris. We were blessed to spend the short time with her that we did, and wanted to keep her memory alive and repay the wonderful care we received, providing support for the King’s Mill Hospital Neonatal Unit staff, patients and their families.

 

“This includes sponsoring the vCreate app, which has been widely used since we introduced it last year – with families regularly telling us how much it has helped them to receive video updates from their babies when they are unable to see them.

 

“Sponsoring the app is therefore incredibly important, so we can continue to help keep up these connections. By making it easier for friends and family members to donate to us at the same time as viewing updates, the PM Connect and vCreate partnership will make lives easier for those donating, and in turn raise key funds to ensure we can continue supporting the Unit as much as possible.”

Ben Moore, Founder of vCreate, commented:

“Small independent charities like the Emily Harris Foundation work incredibly hard to provide support for services like vCreate. Making donating as simple as possible on the vCreate application will really help and there is no doubt that direct carrier billing really does eliminate hassle for relatives wanting to make a charitable contribution.

 

“The payment technology sits neatly in the platform, allowing users to make their donations in a streamlined, seamless way. Following initial roll-out, the plan is to introduce the technology to more of our charity partners and neonatal units across the country, with hospitals and charities also able to make use of the link via their own social media and website as well as on the vCreate site.

 

“We’re always pleased to work with businesses like PM Connect, who use innovation to give something back.”

Our Partnerships Director, James Brighton, said:

“We’re proud to have been chosen by vCreate and the Emily Harris Foundation to provide mobile payment technology. With relatives predominately using mobile to access vCreate’s secure messages, images and videos, our incorporated payment platform – allowing users to donate without taking them away from the app environment – was a perfect fit.

 

“The app uses pre-developed technology, which can “plug-in” to multiple environments, maximising choice. From sharing on social to incorporating into newsletters and emails, we hope to provide an easy way for users to make donations at a stressful time, maximising charity support.”

If you are interested in our carrier billing technology, or in how carrier billing could aid your charity’s fundraising strategy, please email charities@pmconnect.co.uk.

The post PM Connect streamlines charity donations through vCreate partnership appeared first on PM Connect.

The app provides football fans with premium video and live statistics from the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, France’s Ligue 1 and Belgium’s own First Division Jupiler League, powered by world leading sports data providers Opta.

Bert Maetens, Carrier Billing Partner Manager at Proximus, said:

“This deal with PM Connect significantly expands our product portfolio, bolstering our sports and gaming offering to millions of consumers. With Proximus’ dedication to mobile payment security, we chose PM Connect for its impressive track record of providing secure, streamlined mobile payment and marketing solutions.”

 

“Through carrier billing, we offer our customers the chance to access top-quality content from global brands with maximum speed and ease. In a crowded market, being able to provide top apps and subscription sites, as well as a hassle-free way to pay for them, is crucial.”

 

“Top sports and entertainment packages are becoming a central part of our sell – and, with top matches able to pull in upwards of 4 million Belgian viewers, LiveFootball.tv is particularly welcome in harnessing and monetising Belgian football fever. We look forward to continuing to work with PM Connect as they open up even more global brands to the thriving Belgian market.”

The partnership follows on from PM Connect’s deal with Africa’s biggest mobile carrier, Vodacom, as we strengthen our global presence, this time proving our worth in an established European market.

Chris Purdie, Group Commercial Director at PM Connect, said:

“In addition to wins in emerging global economies, strengthening our presence in the European market is crucial for PM Connect’s growth strategy. Our deal with Proximus marks a key step in establishing ourselves in countries where carrier billing is already widespread – using our solutions to monetise the existing audiences of global brands.”

 

“In competitive Western markets, it’s even more important we stand out. Our expertise in sports apps and subscription sites – driving growth for both brands and carriers – is a real point of difference.”

The post PM Connect scores with Belgium’s largest mobile carrier Proximus appeared first on PM Connect.

The partnership with Vodacom, which has a 43 per cent market share in South Africa alone, builds on our growing presence in the African market over the past two years.

With our African offering previously centred around gaming, the deal will enable us to share mobile-payment-enabled sports and entertainment subscription sites to the continent, where brand interest has previously gone untapped.

Chris Purdie, Group Commercial Director at PM Connect, said:

“This marks a key step for PM Connect, as continued expansion into the African market features heavily in our ongoing growth plans. We’re looking forward to helping our clients access new audiences through the provision of quality sporting entertainment, and boosting accessibility of products and services for consumers. At present, our deal with Vodacom focuses on South Africa, the continent’s highest GDP country, but our sights are set on a widespread roll-out across the continent.”

Our African expansion will primarily target “greenfield” markets where, with home internet connections sparse, smartphone payments are often the only way for brands to reach content-hungry audiences.

The Vodacom deal was announced to coincide with AfricaCom, Africa’s largest technology, media and telecoms conference. The PM Connect team attended the event in Cape Town on 13-14 November, joining 14, 000 attendees for a series of speeches, workshops and networking opportunities.

Purdie added:

“With the African carrier billing payments market set to triple in the next five years, growth in the continent is a key opportunity not only to drive revenue, but to introduce global brands to entirely new audiences. As a Birmingham-based business, our growing presence in Africa allows us to act as a spearhead for technological excellence on a global scale, enabling us to provide more opportunities here in the local economy.”

 

“Our new contract with Vodacom will provide us with a firm position in the African market, while offering a unique selling point to our clients in a region where mobile phone use for billing is set to soar and credit and debit card adoption remains low. Our mobile payment solutions will be crucial for global brands to succeed in markets that are otherwise difficult to monetise.”

The post PM Connect skyrockets African presence with Vodacom partnership appeared first on PM Connect.

Having launched in Q4 2018, PM Connect’s new mobile payment solution will be instrumental in support of complementing the sporting giants’ 43 million monthly digital users, giving casual fans a new way to pay for more of the content they love.

The new and improved subscription portals will provide casual fans with pre and post-match video highlights and commentary. There will also be new features like a Save to Homescreen button and push notifications – allowing the subscribers to incorporate their favourite sport into their everyday mobile browsing experience.

The NBA digital content will be specially optimised and formulated to cater for a wider range of fans – in seamless complement of the NBA’s other premium content partners and its own websites, Apps and over-the-top (OTT) “NBA League Pass” service.

Christopher Purdie, commercial director at PM Connect, said:

“This partnership couldn’t come at a better time, with basketball being the fastest growing sport amongst millennials. PM Connect is in prime position to support engaging a wider range of fans, with our mobile payment technology allowing customers to purchase the specially curated content in just a few clicks.”

 

“Our tech will be rolled out across three of the NBA’s key markets outside of North America – the UK, Portugal and Poland – but we see huge potential for the service to be additionally rolled out to other key territories around the globe.”

Are you a sports and entertainment outlet that would like to follow the NBA’s lead? Get in touch with PM Connect to speak to a member of our team.

The post A slam dunk for mobile payments as PM Connect launches NBA content portal appeared first on PM Connect.