Skip to Content

Listen to the Joystiq Podcast (because your ears can't read)
AOL Tech

Posts with tag MobilePayments

Mobile payments coming to Mexico

Like Canada, Mexico's getting mobile payments, too, but these are just a bit different in two very important respects. One, this is a full-fledged service being underwritten by Telefonica, Iusacell, Citibank, and BBVA -- not just a trial. Two, unlike the NFC-based Canadian system, this one will rely on text messages to get the cash flowing. The service is expected to launch in the next few months and get backing from restaurants, stores, and taxis, all places where we can recall specific times when we would've rather kept our wallets in our pockets when the time came to pony up. Of course, considering how miserably unsuccessful mobile payments have been across North America so far (we've still got our fingers crossed that NFC is going to take off one of these days), this one could die off as quickly as it started unless it catches a break and goes big.

NFC-equipped phone surfaces at FCC... with Citi logo


We've handled handsets with unorthodox keypads before, but there's quite a bit more about this here device that's off-kilter than just a unique method of input. Discovered in the always unpredictable database of the FCC, the Mobicom-built mobile plays on the 850 / 1900 GSM bands and features a built-in MP3 player, file manager, speakerphone and accelerometer -- you know, for accessing icons by simply tilting the phone. The most astounding inclusion, however, isn't the integrated NFC technology that allows users to make payments on the go, but rather the unmistakable logo of a financial services company. Sitting front and center. On a cellphone. Something tells us this thing better print greenbacks if it hopes to seriously lure any suits away from their precious BlackBerrys.

[Via PhoneScoop]

Kenya gets SMS-based money transfers

Mobile commerce is taking some parts of the world by storm right now, and Kenya didn't want to be left out of the party. The country's largest mobile carrier has introduced a service to allow monetary payments to be made by SMS, guaranteeing that just about any customer can use the new service. Safaricom's M-Pesa mobile transaction service was developed by Vodafone and is expected to revolutionize Kenya's banking industry according to official reports. Not only will all Kenyans with a Safaricom subscription be able to make mobile payments by text message, but they'll also be able to keep a decent amount of pocket change in a "virtual account" to be used for mobile purchases.

[Via textually.org]

Mobile carriers making it easy to send money home

With tons on top of tons of content making way to the mobile space (where are all those .mobi websites?), it seems natural for payments and the processing of transactions to make their way to the mobile arena as well. But without the support of major banks involved, these efforts won't go far -- but good news is afoot. This week at 3GSM in Barcelona, mobile carriers are teaming up with banks to make it easier and cheaper to send money over the airwaves. No, you can't turn bills into RF waves or anything, but the new partnership (if it can be called that) will allow immigrants and migrant workers to send money home using mobile phones. We're not sure from the PR stuff, but everyone else won't be able to use this new "service". Just kidding -- but when sending small amounts of cash from here to there, those that make smaller piles of it need a method without fees that eat into, well, their money. Can you imagine a 24% fee for sending $50? Goodness sakes.




    AOL News

    Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in: