SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - October 12, 2010) - Recognizing the potential for mobile phones to be used as a payment device, Mashery customer ezetop today opened its Application Programming Interface (API) to developers to build new applications based on ezetop's underlying mobile phone platform and infrastructure backbone. Built with the help of Mashery's API management solution, the program guarantees developers four percent of all transactions conducted through their applications, providing an attractive and direct monetization strategy.
ezetop's technology allows users to top up their mobile phone minutes -- or the minutes of a friend or family member -- on 125 cellular networks in 65 countries around the world. The company realized that its underlying technology and robust infrastructure backbone could be leveraged to conduct monetary transactions as well. With more than 850 million users on its partners' carrier networks and the pervasiveness of mobile devices in the developing world, ezetop saw a market opportunity that it could leverage with the help of the developer community.
"Opening up our APIs to developers was the best way to take advantage of our mobile operator partnerships quickly and benefit from the creative ideas that exist in the community," said Mark Roden, CEO, ezetop. "The sky is the limit when you are able to engage with a community of developers interested in building innovative applications. Mashery allows us to work with the developer community while continuing to maintain control of our technology and brand."
Platform for Monetizing Application Development
ezetop is offering developers four percent of any transaction conducted through their ezetop application -- one of the most generous developer programs to date.
"ezetop is a perfect example of a company relying on the developer community to create innovative applications based on its underlying technology," said Oren Michels, CEO, Mashery. "We were able to help ezetop set up a platform that is structured to compensate developers for successful applications. As a result, ezetop will be able to quickly bring to market revenue-generating products to almost 850 million mobile phone users."
ezetop's API portal includes a prebuilt widget that is available for developers to copy and paste on their website or directly into an application. An internal dashboard monitors transactions in real time so developers can view money transfers and analyze flows and trends. In addition to mobile payments, ezetop expects applications to be launched soon that enable micropayments, digital payments and even donations to international charities or humanitarian relief agencies.
About ezetop
ezetop enables people living or working abroad to instantly top up mobile phones of friends and family back home. Services are available from more than 220,000 retail stores and mobile operators across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia/NZ, as well as from a dedicated international online top up website, www.ezetop.com.
ezetop's services benefit mobile operators as they generate additional revenue outside their domestic market. Today ezetop offers direct connections to more than 130 international mobile operators across Asia Pacific, Africa, the Caribbean, Central/Latin America and Eastern Europe and is continually adding new operators each month. Existing operators include Airtel, Claro, C&W, Dialog Telecom, Digicel, Etisalat, Globe Telecom, LIME, MTN, Orange, Orascom, Reliance, Roshan, Singtel, SMART, Telcel, Telefonica, Telenor, Tigo, Ufone, Vodafone, Warid, Zong and others.
ezetop's global headquarters is in Dublin, Ireland with regional headquarters in North America (Miami), Southern Europe (Barcelona) and Middle East (Dubai).
About Mashery
Mashery's API management tools and strategic services help companies connect with customers and partners in a changing digital world by extending reach across devices, markets and the Web. Mashery leads the industry with a holistic approach for API initiatives -- from setting platform strategy and measuring business objectives to the heavy lifting of providing and managing infrastructure to facilitating relationships with our 50,000-strong network of Web and mobile application developers. Our knowledge, experience and proven strategies enable companies to focus on their core business while driving sales, building new revenue channels and realizing faster time-to-market for innovative applications. Mashery was founded in 2006 and has built an impressive list of clients that include Best Buy, Netflix, and The New York Times. For more information, visit www.mashery.com.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Aimee Eichelberger
Borders + Gratehouse for Mashery
aimee (at) bordersgratehouse.com
(415) 963-4174 ext. 7