12:30 PM -- Integrated carrier billing is one of the biggest things the wireless operators have going for them in the competitive mobile application landscape, and developers are starting to realize this as well.

Rovio, developers of popular mobile game Angry Birds, is launching a new in-app purchase carrier billing payment system dubbed Bad Piggy Bank early next year with Finnish carrier Elisa Corp. The mechanism will allow its users to upgrade to an ad-free version or buy virtual goods direct from the handset, no registration or credit card needed. The damage will show up on their monthly cellular bill.

Rovio CEO Peter Vesterbacka announced the plan at a press event, noting that the Android payment and purchase process "has been less than excellent." (See Euronews: Dec. 7 and OS Watch: Developers Rally for Symbian .)

Both the operators and Rovio will get a cut of the transaction, so we're not talking big numbers. But it's important for carriers to exploit their backend systems for billing to create a more seamless purchasing experience for customers. As more carriers, like those in the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC) , get on board, developers may follow the Angry Birds example and flock to them instead. (See OS Watch (Out): Here Comes V Cast Apps.)

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile