Airtel launches m–commerce applications in a wide ranging partnership

Bharti Airtel has announced the launch of a whole range of m-commerce solutions such as Mobile Money Transfer (MMT), Postpaid Bill Payment and Prepaid Recharge on the mobile phone. It is partnering with ICICI bank, HDFC bank, SBI, Corporation bank and VISA to enable these payments.

The solution has been developed by mChek (MPW 109) and is the first time in India that Mobile Money transfer will be available. The benefit will be felt by millions of Airtel customers who can get started by simply sending a text message ‘Airtel' to 543219.

The solution is totally secure and has been certified by PCIDSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards), a stringent globally accepted security standard. In the pilot this has been amply demonstrated by customers having experienced a totally safe, secure and convenient service.

Airtel has extensively piloted these products across the country. It already has 67,000 registered customers for Postpaid bill payments with over a hundred thousand transactions running into several crores (Billions). In addition over 17000 movie tickets have been bought using this service.

Gopal Vittal, director, marketing and communications, Airtel, comments, “Airtel has always led innovation in telecom, a key factor behind our leadership. This first of its kind innovation in India will allow millions of our customers to send money any time, from anywhere to anyone. We see tremendous growth potential for these and many more M-commerce solutions on the mobile phone in the next few years. Our partnership and alliance led innovation approach that we have consistently followed has allowed us to build a solid ecosystem of banking and solution providers to be first off the block in this very relevant space."

All Airtel mobile customers with credit/debit cards with ICICI bank, HDFC bank, SBI, Corporation bank and VISA, can now pay their Postpaid bills instantly. They can also pay for others and recharge friends and family all in the matter of a few minutes.

Customers who have a VISA credit or debit card issued ICICI, HDFC, or Corporation bank can now send money to their family and friends provided they have a VISA card at the other end. In addition SBI customers will be able to transfer money from one SBI account to another SBI account or to any VISA debit/credit card in the country.

"We are delighted to partner Airtel in providing m-commerce solutions to Airtel subscribers,” says Rahul Bhagat, group head, marketing and direct banking channels, HDFC Bank. “We see the Mobile becoming the convergence instrument, which allows all banking transactions to be done with complete security and that too on the move. This initiative will help usher in a new era of mobile based payments, more particularly Person to Person Fund Transfers.”