Tweet: Carrier billing coming to Windows Phone Store in June or July

Recently, mobile operator VimpelCom had signed a deal with Nokia and Microsoft to allow for carrier billing in the Windows Phone Store. The carrier's Russian subsidiary, Beeline, confirmed this with a tweet that says to expect carrier billing for the Windows Phone Store to begin in June or July of this year. This is a significant arrangement in Russia where credit cards are rarely owned by consumers, which would make carrier billing a welcome option for developers in the region.

In the U.S., carrier billing started with T-Mobile in 2009 for what was then called the Android Market. It allows a smartphone owner to purchase an app, game, movie or other content, download and install it on a phone and have any charges listed on his/her monthly invoice from the carrier.

Hopefully this will just be the beginning of a widespread move toward carrier billing for the Windows Phone Store which not only has to deal with the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, but in some markets now has to contend with the revamped BlackBerry World.

source: WP7forum.ru (translated) via WMPoweruser