Tech Shout!

PayMate India, a mobile commerce solutions company has now partnered with OnMobile, a telecom value added service provider. Through this partnership, PayMate will offer its customers a mobile payment option, allowing them to pay via mobile for services that are available on OnMobile-powered voice portals and WAP sites like Hutch, Idea, Airtel, Tata, Reliance, Fame Cinemas, Adlabs Multiplexes and the 505 platform.

Basically, PayMate customers, when conducting transactions relating to shopping, movie ticketing, airline ticketing and while making bill payments can do so via OnMobile powered WAP sites or Voice portals.

All the user has to do is select a product that he wishes to purchase, and then proceed to the payment menu, wherein PayMate is offered as a mode of payment. Then, the user has to enter his PayMate PIN, after which the payment process is completed. The user then receives an SMS that confirms the successful purchase of the product.

Currently, PayMate’e services are being offered to Citibank credit card and banking customers. In the future, PayMate’s services will also be offered in conjunction with other leading banks in India.

To utilize PayMate’s services, Citibank cutomers need to sign up for the service with the bank by simply sending “PAYMATE” as an SMS to 2484. Citibank customers can sign up for free to use PayMate’s services. The customers will then receive a call back confirming their sign up for PayMate’s services. On receiving this SMS, the bank will verify the user’s mobile number with the account and on confirmation will debit the account accordingly. The merchant and the customer will receive a confirmation message from the bank approving the transaction. The entire transaction takes place at the cost of a single premium SMS.

PayMate said it offers a secure payment solution as no credit/debit card information is ever disclosed during the transaction process. The trust model is based on the recommendations by Ernst & Young, which provides the security measures for both the bank as well as the customer.

“PayMate is extremely convenient, easy to use and compatible across all mobile handsets and operators. Most merchants have difficulty in accepting remote payments since customers are apprehensive about sharing credit/debit card details online or over the phone. This makes PayMate an ideal solution for accepting payments online, over the phone or even at a counter since customers do not have to divulge any credit or debit card details at any time,” said Ajay Adiseshann, Founder and MD, PayMate.

“OnMobile has enabled Paymate to offer its innovative and secure payment service via OnMobile IVR and WAP products to more than 100 million telecom subscribers in India. We will continue to offer more payment options for telecom subscribers,” said Balachandran Unni, Head-Mobile Commerce, OnMobile.