Mobile operator Belgacom has launched its mobile payments services under the brand Ping.Ping.
The move comes after the company acquired a 40 percent stake in local mobile payment systems provider Tunz to expand into the mobile micropayments market. Following the deal, the Tunz wallet has been rebranded into Ping.Ping, but Tunz.com remains the technical and financial provider behind the new brand.
In order to pilot the NFC service which was added to the m-payments service, Belgacom has partnered with Belgium food retailer Delhaize, provider of service vouchers to companies Accor Services and Coca-Cola. In the project with Accor Services, 500 Belgacom employees will be given NFC tags which will be linked to their mobile phone numbers. This will enable them to make contactless payments using electronic Ticket Restaurants meal tickets stored in their Ping.Ping accounts at restaurants equipped with contactless readers. At present, the commercialisation of Electronic Ticket Restaurants is not possible in Belgium due to the lack of guidelines which regulate their use.
In April, 1000 trial participants will also be able to make micropayments and payments with electronic Ticket Restaurants at the City Delhaize Manhattan store located in Brussels. Moreover, users will be able to make mobile payments at Coca-Cola automatic drink dispensers. Belgacom also teamed up with Belgian provider of mobile parking services Mobile-for N.V. to offer SMS parking services in the near future.
Using the Ping.Ping mobile wallet, users are able to use the their mobile phone to top up prepaid accounts, add money to the wallet with a bank transfer, view transactions, pay for parking, book ticket, make peer-to-peer payments and contactless payments, couponing, loyalty, meal vouchers, among others.
The Ping.Ping wallet can be accessed via SMS, via an Java application installed on the mobile phone or via internet or mobile internet. The service is available to mobile phone users from all Belgian operators and subscribers, who will be able to make payments in locations where the Ping.Ping logo is shown.
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