We’re excited to announce that O2 UK is now available as a direct connection on Infomedia’s Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) platform—making it even easier for merchants to reach O2 customers with seamless, online payments. And yes: we’re thrilled to bring a range of quality products to O2 customers, paid for via direct carrier billing.
Why this matters
A direct connection means faster onboarding, higher approval rates, richer reporting/settlement, and tighter control over customer experience. For O2 customers, it means a frictionless checkout that just works—no cards, no forms, no fuss.
By the numbers (UK market at a glance)
O2 mobile phone subscribers: Virgin Media O2 reports ~22.4 million retail mobile connections as of Q4 2025 giving significant reach for DCB-paid services on their network
Smartphone penetration: Independent estimates indicate ~95% of UK residents aged 16+ own a smartphone; and 17% of adult internet users go online only via a smartphone, underscoring how central the device is to digital life.
Use cases that shine with DCB in the UK
App and in-app purchases: Simple “charge to bill” journeys that boost conversion for games, productivity, and lifestyle apps.
Streaming and digital media: Quick subscription sign-ups and impulse rentals without card entry.
Ticketing, parking, and transport: Low-friction micro-payments on the move.
Charitable donations and public campaigns: Trusted, low-effort giving via the mobile bill.
Security & identity add-ons: Pay-as-you-go digital tools including cloud storage, device protection and document-free identity verification.
DCB is a viable—and growing—payment method in the UK
Conversion & convenience: Phone number detection (where available), verified by a simple one time password, reduces checkout friction leading to improved sales performance.
Micro-payments done right: Ideal economics for small, frequent digital purchases.
Trust at telco scale: Carrier billing leverages the operator relationship (billing, customer care, dispute handling) increasing consumer trust in smaller service providers.
Healthy device and network ecosystem: Near-universal smartphone usage and mature networks sustain high daily mobile engagement—strong fundamentals for DCB adoption.
Access & inclusion: Reaches customers who are card-averse, under-banked, or prefer carrier-managed payments—important in a market where a material share are smartphone-only internet users.
Regulatory alignment
Infomedia’s DCB programme is aligned to Ofcom’s oversight of phone-paid services (premium rate/charge-to-bill). Since 2025, Ofcom assumed day-to-day regulation of these services (the PSA’s role ended), and Ofcom provides rules and guidance on consumer protection, transparency, and complaints handling. We operate to these expectations and continue to maintain rigorous merchant vetting, audits, and customer-first journeys.
What’s next
With O2 now live as a direct connection, Infomedia partners can expand UK reach with one integration, better analytics, and flexible commercial models. We’re excited to bring a range of quality products to O2 customers, paid for via direct carrier billing.
Want to launch on O2 via Infomedia? Get in touch and we’ll get you set up.
