Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) set to become a popular way to pay for sports content on mobile devices.
A new report says revenue from Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) for sports content on mobiles, such as instant highlights, streamable matches and behind-the-scenes footage, is set to grow significantly in the coming years.
The report, The Future of DCB, commissioned by mobile sports content provider PM Connect and carried out by global mobile industry analysts Mobilesquared, suggests 39 per cent of smartphone users will access sports content using DCB by 2023.
Emerging markets such as Africa will drive the shift in paying for and consuming sports in this way.
DCB involves consumers paying to view content via their mobile phone bill or pay-as-you-go package.
The 18-24 year age bracket is the demographic that will make the most use of DCB to access sports content, according to the report. This demographic is also the most unlikely to purchase a broadcast subscription for viewing live games.
PM Connect group commercial director Chris Purdie, said: “The past five years have seen mobile content become king, with mobile internet usage now accounting for 52 per cent of web-page views around the world. Slotting neatly into this mobile ecosystem, DCB is a more universal way to pay – bypassing the need for long sign-up processes or inputting bank account details, alongside transparent direct communication.
“In Africa and the Middle East, there will be more first-time users converted to DCB over the next few years than ever before. This is democratising content for users in emerging markets by making world-leading brands more accessible. For brands, DCB can help increase not only revenue but reach, driving wider interest and connecting with new fans in these markets.”
The Future of DCB report can be viewed here.