Qatar's leading telecom services operator Ooredoo said it has reached an integrated carrier billing solution with BlackBerry to allow its smartphone customers to purchase apps on the BlackBerry World storefront and charge them directly to their standard Ooredoo bill.

Customers will also be able to charge in-app purchases, such as additional content or more levels to a gaming app, without interrupting the app experience, said a statement from Ooredoo.

To facilitate secure payments, customers must enter their BlackBerry ID password when they make purchases, the statement added.

BlackBerry ID provides customers with a secure, device-independent user identification for BlackBerry World. The service is available for both Shahry and Hala customers with a purchase-per-app limit of QR100 ($27.4).

COO Waleed Al Sayed said, "We always strive to offer our customers the best experience with the most practical mobile services available, and we’re very proud to be the first Middle East partner to bring integrated carrier billing to our BlackBerry smartphone customers."

"Simplified and secure payments via standard monthly bills will add convenience to our customers’ application experience and provide cost transparency," he added.

Robert Bose, the regional managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at BlackBerry said, "We continue to see significant demand for easy payment solutions for mobile content."

"BlackBerry World offers a rich catalogue of apps, games and more, and integrated carrier billing makes it easy and convenient for Ooredoo’s customers to enhance their BlackBerry smartphone experience," he added.-TradeArabia News Service