Orange partners with CANAL+ AFRIQUE for mobile payment services (France, Africa)
CANAL+ AFRIQUE and Orange have signed a partnership offering CANAL+/CANALSAT subscribers in Africa a convenient way to pay their subscription fees with their mobiles, using Orange’s mobile payment service.
CANAL+/CANALSAT subscription fee payment using Orange Money will be launched in Madagascar in June 2012, so all Malagasy subscribers who are both CANAL+/CANALSAT and Orange customers with an Orange Money account will be able to pay their subscription fees easily and directly from their mobiles, and enjoy great flexibility and instant delivery of their favourite TV programmes.
Orange Money is the mobile phone payment service designed by Orange to meet the needs of its customers in Africa and the Middle East. It provides Orange subscribers with functions such as money transfers from mobile to mobile, bills payment, withdrawal services and cash deposits with networks of registered agents, as well as paying for goods and services with certain businesses.
Orange Money is making life easier for a large number of people in Africa where 60 percent of the population has a mobile phone but less than 10% has a bank account. It has been launched in nine countries so far: Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger and Senegal, and has already reached over 3.5 million customers.
CANAL+ AFRIQUE, present in more than 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, provides its subscribers with a variety of TV channels packages, which can either be prepaid or paid through direct debit. The majority of users opt for the prepaid formula which helps them control their spending, but which means they have to go to a retailer to renew their subscription. Orange Money will provide added comfort and flexibility for these customers by providing a way for them to pay their bills anytime, anywhere, with almost instantaneous service activation.
In addition to Madagascar, by the end of 2012, this mobile payment service will be offered to CANAL+/CANALSAT subscribers in various African countries where the Orange money service is already available.
Guy Lafarge, President of CANAL+ OVERSEAS, said that they are very pleased with this partnership with Orange on mobile payment. With Orange Money, they will provide their subscribers with an innovative and simple means of payment which is both quick and secure.
Marc Rennard, Executive Director responsible for Africa, Middle East and Asia, said that this agreement with CANAL+ AFRIQUE, a major player in the world of digital content, is another example of their resolve to continually broaden the range of Orange Money services to make life easier for customers. Further, thanks to the different partnerships based around Orange Money, they wish to improve the lives of their customers by providing them with a quick and simple means of accessing all services, on a day to day basis.
M-commerce to overtake e-commerce soon (India)
In an emerging market such as India, mobile broadband is expected to become the prime source of internet access, racing ahead even of e-commerce. Accprding to a report by ET, of the next 300 million Internet users to be added, more than 200 million are expected to be mobile Internet users. The variety of low end smartphones available in the market, beginning at $ 58 will aide in the growth of this phenomenon.
The report highlights other Asian markets where mobile commerce has been making its mark. In Japan, around 20 percent of online commerce is done via the mobile phone; whereas, China has an m-commerce level of 12 percent of the overall 30 percent.
As per the report, the number of mobile only Internet users is expected to be over 50 percent in India by 2015. Of the total e-commerce in 2015 in the country, about 15-20 percent is expected to be transacted via the mobile phone.
M-commerce offers consumers certain advantages such as convenience in placing orders over their mobile phone, enhanced interaction between retailer and purchaser, easy mobile payment options with advanced technolgy functions, amongst others.
3UK approached by Everything Everywhere, Vodafone and O2 to join m-payment venture (UK)
Mobile operators, Everything Everywhere along with O2 and Vodafone, are reportedly talking with operator 3 UK to join them in their joint venture for mobile payment services. According to reports, Vodafone plans to submit the proposals for the venture by early 2012.
The operators have reportedly said that the proposal will provide the European Commission with the relevant details associated with the venture as well as highlight the benefits provided to customers. As per sources, the joint venture will offer customers and retailers a common platform for mobile payment services, in collaboration with the banking industry.
Verizon Wireless blocks access to Google Wallet (USA)
U.S based wireless carrier Verizon Wireless has reportedly blocked Google’s mobile payment service titled ‘Google Wallet’ from Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus smartphone over security issues. According to reports, the mobile operator is currently working towards having the best security and user experience and has said that they would resume the service once these goals have been achieved.
As per sources, the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, powered by Google’s Android software will be Verizon’s first smartphone using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. With an increasing number of users using mobile payment services to pay for goods and services, mobile operators Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile are reportedly planning to invest US$ 100 million in a joint venture titled ‘Isis’. The joint venture which is scheduled to launch in certain markets by next year is expected to compete with Google Wallet.
EU regulators work towards improving mobile payment services (Europe)
European Union regulators are reportedly working towards improving the mobile payment services within Europe, as large corporates such as Google Inc, Apple Inc and Visa Inc have shown major interest in entering this business segment.
According to industry reports, the market for mobile payment is expected to be worth $ 50 billion globally by 2014, largely supported by the near field communication (NFC) technology. As per sources, the European Commission believes that the region lacks a concrete European framework that would enable customers to make financial transactions using their mobile phones. Further, sources claim that the number of m-payment users in Western Europe were 7.1 million as compared with 62.8 million users in the Asia-Pacific region.
As per reports, Visa and Visa Europe Ltd. had agreed to license mobile payments technology to Google, which could be incorporated into its new range of smartphones.
Bharti Airtel furthers m-payment services in Madagascar (Africa)
India’s leading mobile phone operator Bharti Airtel has reportedly begun the operation of its money-transfer service in Madagascar, in an attempt to provide financial services for the unbanked via their mobile devices. According to reports, Heiko Schlittke, Director, Airtel Madagascar, had earlier said that the service would compete with Orange SA’s Orange Money and the M-Vola product offered by Telma, the state-run phone company.
As per sources, the mobile operator has entered into an agreement with the taxi operators association, thereby enabling passengers to pay for their taxi fare using their Airtel Money account. Further, reports reveal that the operator has also provided around hundred taxis with the required reader equipment. The selected taxis will display the Airtel logo and the drivers will be required to wear a red jacket provided by Airtel.
Mobile operators form joint venture for Mobile Payments (Sweden)
In a move to further the facilitation of mobile payment services in the country, Sweden’s mobile operators – Telenor, Tele2, 3 and Telia, have reportedly formed a joint venture, which is expected to commercially launch its services next year.
The penetration of m-payment services in Sweden have shown considerable growth with an increasing number of customers using their mobile handset to pay for regular activities such as parking and public transport among others.
The joint venture will reportedly help extend the variety of services that can be carried out by a customer through the mobile handset. Further, sources claim that for users the venture will ensure uniformity amongst the services offered by the operators.
MTN and Visa offer new m-payment services (Africa)
South African operator MTN has reportedly tied up with Visa in order to provide m-payment services to unbanked users in emerging markets. According to reports, the service, known as Visa Mobile Prepaid, will be initially marketed in Nigeria and Uganda, as part of its existing mobile wallet service.
As per sources, Aletha Ling, COO, Fundamo (Visa) said that the service provides users with a new set of transaction options such as withdraw money from ATMs, transfer money, and pay bills as though they are using a typical card. She added that customers will not be able to use the product if there is no money in their mobile wallet, similar to a debit card, which is why Visa is describing it as ‘prepaid’.
Ling also said that they provide the solution to operators as well as the banks. Operators, in partnership with a bank, will be able to offer this feature as a value-added service under their brand.
Telefonica’s BluVia enters deal with Boku for online mobile payment services (Europe)
Telefonica’s developer program BlueVia has entered a deal with San Francisco based Boku, a global platform for online mobile payments, to provide it with mobile payment back-end services. This deal will provide Telefonica’s 295 million subscriber base a secure and reliable bank-grade billing platform, enabling users to make purchases online using their mobile number and getting the bills charged to their mobile bill.
This new partnership will make it possible for BlueVia to bill customers as well as provide a solution to the consumer segment that does not currently have access to credit cards or other payment capabilities. The deal will make it easier for Telefonica customers to make in-app payments helping the company increase revenue. Boku currently operates in 65 countries across 230 carriers.
Bank of America launches NFC m-payment trial for BlackBerry users (USA)
Bank of America, US financial services provider is planning to invite BlackBerry users to try a mobile payment program powered by NFC chips. The project is scheduled for launch in Spring. Trial participants need either a Visa debit card or a MasterCard credit card through Bank of America.
The trial targets BlackBerry Curve 8520, 8530, Tour 9630, Bold 9000, 9650 and 9700 handsets users. Customers who opt to participate in the trial program will receive an NFC-enabled battery cover and a microSD memory card.
