Fonix

Last updated

Fonix Mobile Plc
Fonix-logo-2022.png
Type of businessPLC
Founded2006 (2006)
Headquarters London, UK
Area servedWorldwide
Founder(s) Will Neale, Rob Weisz
Key peopleRob Weisz (CEO), Michael Foulkes (CFO), Edward Spurrier (Chairman), Will Neale (Non-Executive Director), Carmel Warren (Non-Executive Director)
URL fonix.com
Current statusActive

Fonix provides a mobile payments and mobile messaging platform and is based in London. Its services are used by the media, entertainment, telecoms, enterprise and commerce sectors [1] and Fonix has connections to all of the UK mobile networks. When consumers make payments, they are charged to their mobile phone bill. This service can be used for ticketing, content, cash deposits and donations. [1]

Contents

The company was founded in 2006 [2] and it has partnerships with Vodafone (of which it is a platinum partner), [3] EE Limited, Telefónica UK Limited and Hutchison 3G. Fonix's clients include ITV (TV network), Global, BT, Bauer and BBC Children in Need, Comic Relief and more.

The current CEO is Rob Weisz. [4]

How it works

Fonix's service works by charging digital payments to the mobile phone bill, either via Carrier Billing or SMS Billing. [5] Fonix also offers messaging solutions. [6]

Carrier billing

APIs are used to charge users to their phone bills through desktop, mobile or apps. [7] Fonix's Carrier Billing services can be used for ticketing (e.g. parking tickets and cinema tickets), content (e.g. paying for film or magazines) and cash deposits. [1] [8]

SMS billing

Fonix's API charges customers to their phone bills via SMS. [9] This means that customers can purchase services or make charitable donations and are charged by sending the text message. [10] [11] The service is most commonly used for digital purchases, such as content, donations, voting, competitions and polls. [12] [13]

Messaging

Fonix's messaging services have the capability to send and receive SMS online, via an API or via SMPP. RCS messaging can be used to send richer message content. [14] [15]

History

Fonix was originally named Orca Digital and was founded in 2006 in Chiswick, London. Orca Digital focused upon mobile telephony and providing interactive services to the media and entertainment sectors. [16]

In 2014, Orca Digital relaunched as Fonix Mobile under CEO Rob Weisz. At this point, the business became focused upon mobile operator payments and mobile messaging services to a range of sectors including media, charity, telecoms, enterprise, gaming and entertainment. [17]

Since 2014, Fonix has secured contracts with Channel 5, [18] Sport Relief, [19] Children in Need, [20] tastecard, [21] Unicef (Soccer Aid), [22] BT Sport, ITV, [23] Stand Up To Cancer, [24] Ruth Strauss and many more.

In 2015 and 2016, Fonix was listed in the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track, ranking 34th and 28th respectively. [1] In 2015 and 2016, Fonix ranked 50th and 37th in the Deloitte Fast 50 respectively. [25] [26] In 2015 and 2016, Fonix ranked 363rd and 238th respectively in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500. [27] [28] In 2016 and 2017, Fonix won the Moma Award for the Not for Profit/Charity Mobile Strategy/Campaign of the year. This was to recognise their use of SMS for collecting gift aid for the 2015 Children in Need Campaign. [29]

Fonix went public at the London Stock exchange (AIM) in October 2020. The company has successfully raised £45m with a market capitalisation on admission of £90m. [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SMS</span> Text messaging service component

Short Message/Messaging Service, commonly abbreviated as SMS, is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems. It uses standardized communication protocols that let mobile devices exchange short text messages. An intermediary service can facilitate a text-to-voice conversion to be sent to landlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile payment</span> Payment services via a mobile device

Mobile payment, also referred to as mobile money, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet, is any of various payment processing services operated under financial regulations and performed from or via a mobile device. Instead of paying with cash, cheque, or credit card, a consumer can use a payment app on a mobile device to pay for a wide range of services and digital or hard goods. Although the concept of using non-coin-based currency systems has a long history, it is only in the 21st century that the technology to support such systems has become widely available.

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from a mobile phone over a cellular network. Users and providers may refer to such a message as a PXT, a picture message, or a multimedia message. The MMS standard extends the core SMS capability, allowing the exchange of text messages greater than 160 characters in length. Unlike text-only SMS, MMS can deliver a variety of media, including up to forty seconds of video, one image, a slideshow of multiple images, or audio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Text messaging</span> Act of typing and sending a brief, digital message

Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/laptops, or another type of compatible computer. Text messages may be sent over a cellular network or may also be sent via satellite or Internet connection.

Mobile marketing is a multi-channel online marketing technique focused at reaching a specific audience on their smartphones, feature phones, tablets, or any other related devices through websites, e-mail, SMS and MMS, social media, or mobile applications. Mobile marketing can provide customers with time and location sensitive, personalized information that promotes goods, services, appointment reminders and ideas. In a more theoretical manner, academic Andreas Kaplan defines mobile marketing as "any marketing activity conducted through a ubiquitous network to which consumers are constantly connected using a personal mobile device".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile banking</span> Service provided by a bank

Mobile banking is a service provided by a bank or other financial institution that allows its customers to conduct financial transactions remotely using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. Unlike the related internet banking it uses software, usually called an app, provided by the financial institution for the purpose. Mobile banking is usually available on a 24-hour basis. Some financial institutions have restrictions on which accounts may be accessed through mobile banking, as well as a limit on the amount that can be transacted. Mobile banking is dependent on the availability of an internet or data connection to the mobile device.

The term mobile commerce was originally coined in 1997 by Kevin Duffey at the launch of the Global Mobile Commerce Forum, to mean "the delivery of electronic commerce capabilities directly into the consumer’s hand, anywhere, via wireless technology." Many choose to think of Mobile Commerce as meaning "a retail outlet in your customer’s pocket."

Founded in 2001, SMS.ac Inc. is a mobile data and Internet communications company based in San Diego, California. With a worldwide connectivity to more than 400 mobile operators, the company offers a platform MMSbox for interpole exchange of MMS and SMS. The company has claimed to serve over 14 billion mobile text messages in 2003, and 25 billion in 2004 where they were widely criticized for charging unrequested SMS services from consumers and for failing to respond to the complaints of users and for FanBox's e-mail activities. The company provides distribution and billing to people buying and selling digital content through (SMS) mobile services and web-based applications. SMS.ac's website integrates its mobile billing technology with various social networking services like photos, videos, music, and comments. SMS.ac claims over 50 million registered users in more than 180 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile phone</span> Portable device to make telephone calls using a radio link

A mobile phone is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while the user is moving within a telephone service area, as opposed to a fixed-location phone. The radio frequency link establishes a connection to the switching systems of a mobile phone operator, which provides access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Modern mobile telephone services use a cellular network architecture, and therefore mobile telephones are called cellphones in North America. In addition to telephony, digital mobile phones support a variety of other services, such as text messaging, multimedia messaging, email, Internet access, short-range wireless communications, satellite access, business applications, payments, multimedia playback and streaming, digital photography, and video games. Mobile phones offering only basic capabilities are known as feature phones ; mobile phones that offer greatly advanced computing capabilities are referred to as smartphones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortumo</span> Company based in Estonia

Fortumo was an Estonian company which developed a platform for digital service providers for user growth and monetization.

Over-the-top (OTT) media service is a media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet. OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms—the media through which companies have traditionally acted as controllers or distributors of such content. The term is most synonymous with subscription-based video on demand (SVoD) services that offer access to film and television content. Such content may include shows and movies for which the OTT acquired rights from the content owner. Programming may also include original content produced specifically for the service.

Boku, Inc. is a mobile payments company that allows businesses to collect online payments through both carrier billing and mobile wallets, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Boku utilizes mobile network operator (carrier) data to enhance the security and user experience for consumers online. Boku offers its customers more than 330+ mobile payment types in over 90 countries globally, offering a bank-grade payment system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stripe, Inc.</span> Irish-American multinational financial services and SaaS company

Stripe, Inc. is an Irish-American multinational financial services and software as a service (SaaS) company dual-headquartered in South San Francisco, California, United States and Dublin, Ireland. The company primarily offers payment-processing software and application programming interfaces for e-commerce websites and mobile applications.

Zamano plc was an Internet and mobile technology company based in Dublin. The company decided in February 2017 to bring their premium rate SMS business lines to a close by the end of 2017. In November 2018, Zamano plc issued a press release stating that it was entering voluntary liquidation. A liquidator was appointed in early 2019.

Mobile payments is a mode of payment using mobile phones. Instead of using methods like cash, cheque, and credit card, a customer can use a mobile phone to transfer money or to pay for goods and services. A customer can transfer money or pay for goods and services by sending an SMS, using a Java application over GPRS, a WAP service, over IVR or other mobile communication technologies. In India, this service is bank-led. Customers wishing to avail themselves of this service will have to register with banks which provide this service. Currently, this service is being offered by several major banks and is expected to grow further. Mobile Payment Forum of India (MPFI) is the umbrella organisation which is responsible for deploying mobile payments in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Textlocal</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monitise</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stellar (payment network)</span> Cryptocurrency

Stellar, or Stellar Lumens, is an open-source, decentralized protocol for digital currency to fiat money low-cost transfers which allows cross-border transactions between any pair of currencies. The Stellar protocol is supported by a Delaware nonprofit corporation, the Stellar Development Foundation, though this organization does not enjoy 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with the IRS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinch (company)</span> Telecommunications and cloud communications platform as a service (PaaS) company

Sinch, formerly CLX Communications, is a communications platform as a service (CPaaS) company which powers messaging, voice, and email communications between businesses and their customers. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, the company employs over 4000 people in more than 60 countries.

Auka is a Norwegian, VC-backed financial technology company. Its PSD2 compliant technology platform enables banks to issue white label mobile payments products to their private and merchant customers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Skeldon, Paul (September 13, 2016). "Fonix and Impulsepay fly the flag for carrier billing in Tech Track 100". Telemedia Online. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  2. ↑ n/a. "Tech Track 100". Fast Track. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  3. ↑ n/a. "Accredited Partners". Vodafone. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Fonix: Tech Track 100". Fast Track. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  5. ↑ PYMNTS (September 2, 2016). "Fonix To Handle BuyGameCredit Purchases On Xbox Live, PlayStation". PYMNTS. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  6. ↑ Skeldon, Paul. "Mr". World Telemedia. World Telemedia. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  7. ↑ n/a. "Fonix: Tech Track 100". Fast Track. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Mobile Carrier Billing payments". Fonix. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  9. ↑ Alert Logic Product Marketing Team. "Fonix Mobile - Mobile and billing system security in Amazon Web Services (aws)". Alert Logic. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  10. ↑ Skeldon, Paul (November 25, 2015). "BBC Children in Need breaks all time text to donate record with Fonix". Telemedia Online. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  11. ↑ Skeldon, Paul (May 19, 2016). "Heart Radio embraces mobile listeners whose heart voice shortcodes - volume increase dramatically". Telemedia Online. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  12. ↑ Liggero, Rebecca (November 16, 2015). "Rob Weisz on introducing mobile payments in the online gambling industry". Calvin Ayre. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Mobile Interactivity and SMS payments". Fonix. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  14. ↑ Giles, Hannah. "Fonix joins Google's RCS Messaging Early Access Program". Fonix Mobile. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Send and receive text messages". Fonix. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  16. ↑ n/a. "Orca Digital launches VoiPay – a new premium web telephony platform". My News Desk. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  17. ↑ n/a. "Tech Track 100". Fast Track. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  18. ↑ n/a (September 2014). "Channel 5 Select Fonix For Two Year Agreement For All Mobile Interactive Services". aime. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  19. ↑ n/a. "Sport Relief Legal". Sport Relief. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  20. ↑ "ViewRanger keeps The One Show Rickshaw Challenge riders on track". Cambridge Network. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Awards Preview – Most Effective Mobile Payment Solution". Mobile Marketing. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Soccer Aid". Fonix. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  23. ↑ "ITV". Fonix. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Stand Up To Cancer". Fonix. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  25. ↑ Skeldon, Paul (November 27, 2015). "Fonix ranks 50th in the 2015 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 2015 after two years of trading". Telemedia Online. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Fast 50 Winners 2016". Deloitte. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  27. ↑ "2015 Technology Fast 500TM Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) Ranking" (PDF). Deloitte. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Fast 500 Winners". Deloitte. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Momas 2016". Momas. October 27, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  30. ↑ "London Stock Exchange welcomes Fonix Mobile Plc to AIM - Welcome Story At London Stock Exchange | London Stock Exchange". www.londonstockexchange.com. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
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