Google sunsets Play Retailer provider billing program, with US Mobile bowing out

Following within the footsteps of AT&T, Verizon, and T-Cellular, American cellphone provider US Mobile is discontinuing its participation in Google’s Play Store provider billing initiative. This coverage change is efficient as of March 25, 2025, although current customers can proceed to leverage provider billing up till a cutoff date of March 31, 2026.

Whereas no official press launch has been made by both US Mobile or Google, the latter firm’s Play Store Help portal has been up to date with affirmation of this growth.

Google’s Play Retailer carrier billing program was pitched as a streamlined technique for making digital purchases throughout the firm’s Android app storefront. The thought is that clients can choose their mobile provider as an accepted technique of fee, and have their purchases billed via their provider on the finish of each month.

Over the previous couple of years, US carriers have been opting to bow out of Google’s Play Retailer billing program altogether. US Mobile stood as the ultimate hold-out provider nonetheless collaborating within the initiative — its discontinuation as a supported fee technique marks the top of US carrier-based billing on the entire.

Google Play Retailer

Google Play has essentially the most complete app and sport choice on Android telephones, with over 3.5 million choices to select from.

Google’s Play Retailer provider billing program bites the mud

The provider billing period has come to an finish, however there are different fee choices obtainable to select from

Fortunately, there are many different strategies obtainable for buying digital content material from the Google Play Retailer. For those who personal an Android cellphone and have entry to an lively Google Account, you may hyperlink your bank card for fast-tracked single-time and subscription-based funds.

Alternatively, you may arrange your Play Retailer purchases to be billed via PayPal or Cash App, and pre-paid Google Play reward playing cards are available for buy in most big-box retail settings.

Google is advising US Mobile clients to change from provider billing to another technique of fee prematurely of the March 31, 2026 cutoff date, to be able to guarantee a hitch-free transitional interval.

It is unlucky to see carrier-based Play Retailer billing being phased out within the US, as extra fee choices are typically a very good factor. That being mentioned, this system nonetheless exists outdoors of America — in the interim, Canadian provider Telus stays an lively participant in Google’s cell phone billing initiative.

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