Fortumo has launched direct carrier billing with the European mobile operator group Deutsche Telekom. The Czech Republic, with 6 million subscribers of T-Mobile, is the first market Fortumo will connect to its platform, according to a company press release.

Overall, the partnership aims to enable Fortumo to provide payments to merchants in 12 countries where Deutsche Telekom operates.

"Carrier billing is an increasingly important source of revenue for mobile operators," said Gerri Kodres, chief business officer at Fortumo. "Fortumo accelerates this growth for carriers by enabling payments with the largest amount of top-tier merchants, ranging from app stores and game developers to digital streaming services and security solution vendors. We are excited to partner with Deutsche Telekom to increase the value of carrier billing for all parties involved."