The service was developed by Playboy and Yakara, a text-messaging firm. Following three separate identity checks, customers purchase the programming by texting a number code and the word “go.” Their monthly Playboy package is then billed as 20 premium text messages at 1.50 (pounds) each, or about $56 total.
“Text messaging has become part of our everyday lives and consumers are used to signing up to services using this method,” said Richard Gale, Playboy TV UK’s director of marketing and sales. “This new service takes things a step further by allowing the customer to pay, too.”
Cell subscribers around the world already use SMS for other consumer services, such as sending email and voting for “American Idol.” A spokesperson for Playboy told XBiz that there are no immediate plans to offer the SMS-ordering option for United States customers.
