Amdocs, a provider of customer service and billing software, announced a deal with Indonesian mobile provider XL Axiata to provide direct carrier billing for app stores to the carrier's 50 million subscribers. The partnership means XL Axiata is the first service provider in Asia Pacific to offer direct carrier billing at Microsoft's Windows Phone Store, the companies said.

While carrier billing will be enabled for the Windows Phone Store at first, the service from Amdocs lets consumers purchase apps and in-app content by placing the charge on their monthly phone bills and will allow XL Axiata to extend the service to other app stores in the future.

"More than 80 percent of the Indonesian population does not have a bank account or credit card, but almost all have a mobile phone," said Dian Siswarini, chief of Digital Services at XL Axiata. Siswarini said Amdocs will let its subscribers participate in the booming digital economy by buying digital goods like apps, games, music and e-books using their XL mobile account.

"The Amdocs Mobile Payments solution offers XL Axiata's customers a frictionless payment experience in the leading app stores, making XL Axiata the first to market with new partners and innovative services," Siswarini said.

On behalf of Amdocs, Rebecca Prudhomme, vice president for product and solution marketing, said recent research shows the payment experience of direct carrier billing increases app store sales conversions by up to five times.

Read more about direct carrier billing.