Vodacom’s Online Billing Services (OBS) is a Billing Mechanism provided to trusted third parties on whose behalf Vodacom bills and collects payment for content services from the Vodacom subscriber. OBS may only be used to bill for value added services.

Why make use of OBS?

• OBS allows you to charge flexible rates for the content provided.
• OBS allows you to change the charge of your content as your costs or value of the content increase.
• OBS allows you to bill for subscription and adhoc services.
• OBS allows you to bill for content up to R50.00.

Difference between OBS and Premium Rated Billing

Vodacom has 2 types of billing mechanisms available for WASPs to bill for Value Added Service (VAS) provided to their customers. The first type is Premium Rated Billing (also known as Billing Option 1) and the second type of billing is OBS (also known as Billing Option 2).

Below is a comparison between the 2 types of billing provided by Vodacom namely OBS and Premium Rated Billing:

OBS Charges

Transactions will be charged as indicated below:

• Amounts inclusive of VAT; and
• The connection fee and monthly access fee will be the same as for other WASP services. If a WASP is already connected there will be no further fees payable

The WASP shall be charged the following Administration fees:

• 15% (fifteen per centum) of the VAS Service fee in respect of VAS Services billed to post-paid Service Users;
• 24.5% (twenty four comma five per centum) of the VAS Service fee in respect of VAS Services billed to prepaid Service Users; and
• 28% (twenty eight per centum) of the VAS Service fee in respect of VAS Services billed to *hybrid (Top-up) Service Users.* Hybrid (Top-up) packages give customers rand value credit instead of minutes which they can use to make calls, send SMS, use data, etc. When these customers deplete their rand value credit they have the option to replenish their credit by purchasing any prepaid airtime voucher.