How it is possible for carriers to settle a payment transaction of physical goods via direct carrier billing?
How can merchants, for example vending machine providers across Europe, settle a payment transaction of physical goods via direct carrier billing (DCB), enabling customers to pay snacks or beverages conveniently and quickly with their mobile phones?
As we all know, the settlement of all kind of payment transactions by carriers is subject to the EU’s revised Payment Services Directive PSD2. That part of European payment law, and its implementations in the member states, determines which kind of transactions carriers may conduct without needing a license as a payment service provider.
Carriers may settle the payment of digital goods, voice based services, e-tickets and certain charitable services, provided the amount of the payment does not exceed certain thresholds. These thresholds are € 50 for each transaction and € 300 for all transactions provided on behalf of one customer per month.
Carriers are though not allowed to settle payments for physical goods without obtaining a respective license as a payment service provider.
Although the commission aims at fostering innovative payments, obtaining a respective license is a quite burdensome procedure. Furthermore, maintaining such a license requires commitment and considerable resources in order to fulfil all regulatory requirements. Consequently, this option is not a feasible way forward for most carriers and therefore it is not very surprising that most carriers decide against applying for such a license.
In connection with the payment of physical goods, however, there is another possibility, which has not been put to real life for the time being. The so-called “Agent Model”. Basically, the “Agent Model” means that a carrier acts as a payment agent of a duly licensed payment service provider.
The downsides of the model?
Well, frankly speaking, we do not see major complications.
However, there are some requirements that have to be taken into consideration when implementing such a model, such as:
After respective notification, the competent authority will assess the notification. If all requirements are fulfilled, the authority has to add the agent to the so-called payment services register. Only if the agent is entered into that register, the DCB of physical goods via the carrier can commence. According to PSD2, the authorities have three months to finalize such a procedure and registration.
To conclude, I want to give a brief overview where we stand with implementing such an agent model:
For the time being and to the best of my knowledge, there is not yet a carrier in the EU acting already as agent of a payment service provider in that context.
On behalf of DIMCOCO, we have already started a notification with the Austrian Financial Market Authority with a carrier seated in Germany. We expect that this pilot project with target vending machines will be finalized within the upcoming months. We are very optimistic that soon the first vending machine providers will offer their customers to pay for snacks and beverages via mobile phone and carrier billing.
Bernd Fletzberger is an expert in payment and financial market law. Among others, he advises credit, payment and e-money institutions, insurers, carriers, and other technology providers as well as Fintech startups on regulatory issues. During his entire professional career, he has dealt with banking, payment, insurance and capital markets law. He regularly gives lectures on banking, payment and anti-money laundering issues. He is also editorial board member of Austrian Financial market law journal ZFR. He regularly publishes on financial market law, in particular, payment law issues.
Since 2010, Bernd Fletzberger is a partner of the Viennese corporate law firm PFR, specialized law firm focusing on Fintech, payments, banking, and other financial market issues and acts as a legal advisor to DIMOCO.
Charlotte Newby
Head of Corporate Communications
DIMOCO Corporate Headquarters
Tel: +43 1 33 66 888-2059
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