Bango is expanding direct carrier billing availability to Japanese customers of Amazon Prime and Prime Student membership programs following the launch of direct carrier billing for Amazon retail customers in Japan earlier this year.

Amazon customers with an NTT DOCOMO or KDDI (au) mobile phone account can now pay for the Amazon Prime membership fee, either monthly or annually, by charging the cost to their mobile phone bill. At the same time, students in Japan can now use this new payment method to pay for their annual membership fees to the Prime Student program, according to a press release

"An amazing range of goods and services can now be purchased through the phone bill in Japan," said Ray Anderson, Bango CEO. "The Bango Platform ensures global retailers can offer these customers the trust and transparency they want from a payment method, and can deliver this at scale."

To use this payment option, a KDDI or NTT DOCOMO user adds carrier billing as a payment option in their Amazon.co.jp account and then purchases can be made from their mobile phone, with the cost charged to their post-paid phone bill.