Bango PLC (AIM:BGO, OTCQX:BGOPF) chief marketing officer, Anil Malhotra, talked with Proactive about the company’s latest milestone in the United States: a new licensing deal with Optimum, part of the Altice group, for its subscription bundling technology known as the Digital Vending Machine (DVM).
Malhotra highlighted that this deal extends Bango’s presence in the US market, where bundling has become a standard consumer expectation. “Three out of five of the biggest telecommunications companies in the United States have standardised on the Bango digital vending machine,” Malhotra said. Optimum will use the DVM to manage and offer subscription bundles across services, including streaming TV, movies, and other digital content.
The US market remains a key focus for Bango, driven by consumer demand for subscription flexibility and value. According to Bango research, two-thirds of Americans now acquire subscriptions via bundles offered by telcos or service providers. The company believes this shift underscores the importance of its bundling platform.
Malhotra also noted positive trends across major subscription providers and signalled confidence in further deals to come. He described the DVM as the largest bundling ecosystem in the world, enabling telecoms to become market-ready faster and helping content providers reach a wider audience.
Proactive: Anil, very good to speak with you. Could you take us through the news from Bango in the US?
Anil Malhotra: Yes, so exciting news this week from Bango. We announced another licensing deal for our subscription bundling technology called the Digital Vending Machine. This is another US telco, a brand called Optimum. Well known in the US market—it covers home fiber, mobiles, and connected TV. They’ve become a licensee of our Digital Vending Machine bundling technology. It may be better known to your viewers as part of the Altice telephony group, which has interests across the world, including in Europe. Optimum is now using the Digital Vending Machine to create and offer subscription bundles for its customers. The initial focus will be on familiar subscription video-on-demand bundles—streaming TV, streaming movies—but the company is interested in a wide range of different subscription products. So yes, it's another US telco that has licensed Bango technology.
Proactive: Bango has made good progress in the US. What's happening in that market?
Anil Malhotra: The US is clearly an important market. It’s the world’s largest subscription market. The average American consumer spends at least $900 a year on subscription products. They average five and a half subscriptions per consumer, the greatest number in the world. Many Americans juggle more than ten subscriptions. Half of all streaming video subscription products in the world originate from US companies. We found through Bango Research earlier this year that two-thirds of Americans are now acquiring subscriptions through bundles provided by their telco or another service provider. So in that context, the announcement that Optimum is licensing the Digital Vending Machine to manage its subscription bundling strategy is more significant than just the fact that it reaches 4.5 million subscribers. It means the American telecommunications industry is standardising on subscription bundling. US consumers now expect telcos to offer a range of subscriptions.
Proactive: Are you expecting more deals in the US?
Anil Malhotra: The US is certainly a key market for us. Three out of five of the biggest telecommunications companies in the US have standardised on the Bango Digital Vending Machine. US tech industries grow faster for various reasons—investment, infrastructure, market size—but one key reason is the speed at which they standardise on proven technologies. When telcos like Optimum adopt the Digital Vending Machine, they become instantly market-ready to offer bundles. Telco product cycles typically take years, but the DVM shortens this. It’s also good for content providers—they now have a standard, streamlined way to go to market and reach the full audience. The US telco industry got it right with bundling by standardising on the DVM and by recognising subscription bundling as key to the consumer proposition.
Proactive: How does the remainder of 2025 look for Bango?
Anil Malhotra: We have strong momentum behind the Digital Vending Machine. Market trends are very positive. There's strong growth across major providers like Netflix, Disney, and Paramount based on their first quarter results. Telcos are doubling down on subscription bundling—it’s leading their consumer strategies. Look at Verizon’s perks program, which your viewers may know is powered by Bango. Bundles are clearly influencing consumer choices. I'm confident there are more deals like Optimum to come. The Digital Vending Machine is already the largest ecosystem for bundling in the world. If we look back 15 years to when app stores appeared on smartphones, it changed the way we use the internet. Now, subscriptions are transforming how we consume products and services, giving consumers more choice, flexibility, and control. For Bango, we’re in the right place at the right time.
Proactive: I hope you'll continue to keep us updated on your progress.