Thursday, Sep 17, 2009    Text size: 

According to the company, the virtual world, which boasts more than 4 million members, leverages a variety of interactive features that allow users to create an avatar and online profile and then interact with other visitors.

"In terms of a virtual world, there are an unprecedented number of experiences that users can have," Utherverse CEO Brian Shuster said. "Everything from a highly social environment — people making friends and hanging out — all the way to extreme adult situations."

The collaboration, which is deployed via PasswordByPhone's API, allows surfers around the world to pay for a premium membership in this immersive world of virtual reality — either by means of their landline telephone or cell phone.

"We were getting emails from people all over the world who wanted to pay for a premium membership, but couldn't," Shuster added. "Now, not only are we in a position to charge those who do not have a credit card, but we are now making money from the growing numbers of digitally nervous clients who have one, but would prefer not to use [it] online."