E-commerce and payment services provider First Data has entered a partnership with TIO Network to integrate bill payment processing services from the latter.

The Money Network electronic payroll distribution service offers employers the possibility to reduce payroll costs and simultaneously provide their underbanked employees with spending card services. Consequently, Money Network cardholders will be able to pay bills online, by phone or at self-service kiosks.

According to Aite Group, the main bill payment methods used by unbanked and underbanked consumers are cheques, cash and money orders. The same group estimates that 32 percent of unbanked and underbanked bill payments are completed by cheque, followed by 30 percent by cash and 21 percent via money orders.

First Data is a global corporation that provides enables its customers to buy goods and services using any form of electronic payment.