PayCircle

Customer

The PC or mobile user who accesses the MP3 files or video clips using a mobile device and pays via his mobile phone bill.

Merchant

The provider of the MP3 files or video clips.

Payment Service Provider (PSP):

Very likely this will be the Mobile Network Operator, which will settle payments at defined intervals with the merchant and include the content charges in the user's phone bill. The MNO provides the infrastructure for ordering, delivery, and payment, including the metering of download volume for digital goods, elapsed time for data sessions and the like.

Pricing Method

By Event. The charge is calculated "per MP3 file" or "per video clip" rather than "per kilobyte" or "per minute"

Pricing Range

Typically in the realm of micro-payments, but it could be a quantity large enough for itemized listing and settlement.

Customer Identification

The content provider identifies the customer using the MSISDN of his mobile phone. For authentication, the PSP verifies that the phone with the given MSISDN is involved in the transaction. However, a PIN is required since the cost is more significant. Done by answering PSP-driven confirmation request over the mobile phone and entering the PIN on prompt. Usually done on the same device as the one used to access the content/ service, but it could be a different one (e.g. a desktop PC).

Point of Sale

The Web site offering the MP3 files or videos is the point of sale in this scenario.

Goods Sold

The MP3 files or video clips are the itemized digital goods.

Scenario: Digital Goods- Event
Please choose a scenario:
Summary A content provider offers MP3 files or video clips on a web site. Each file or clip may be downloaded for a fee.

PayCircle Scenarios/Whitepapers

Overview
The PC or mobile user buys electronic goods, e.g. MP3 files or video clips, from a web site. Instead of paying by the amount of data downloaded, the user pays a predefined price per item. She downloads them onto their mobile device or their storage facility and pays via mobile payment. She will be prompted to confirm the payment, e.g. in a voice call placed to his/her mobile phone and asking to enter a PIN. She will find an appropriate charge entry on his/her mobile phone bill at the end of the month.
The transaction takes place only after a successful download, as the goods are worth the quoted price only when completely downloaded (all or nothing).

Features

Support of payment transactions for Web and WAP-based applications
End-user device may be a mobile device or a wireline PC
It equally applicable for Post-paid and Prepaid subscribers
The consumer is identified by his mobile phone number (MSISDN)
Authorization is provided by the end-user via PIN confirmation

Additional Requirements
To support Prepaid subscribers the download facility has the means to advise the consumer of the estimated cost, and if he agrees to pay, to reserve an appropriate amount of money before delivering the requested data. Should reservations fail, the download facility provides mechanisms to interrupt the delivery of data.
A complete transaction record repository is needed. Such information is necessary for bill aggregation, reconciliation, and settlement purposes, but might also be needed for error /dispute settlement asked for by either the merchants or customers.
Customer may want the means to immediately validate or contest delivery or payment sums.
A variation on this event may arise when an unhappy or unsatisfied consumer wishes to be refunded or have the actual amount paid, credited or reduced. The merchant or Portal may have to ask the Payment Services Provider to run the process in reverse or to create a purchase credit for an individual customer.