BIG 3 JOIN FORCES TO FOSTER MOBILE COMMERCE
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
We are pleased to announce that we have recently signed an agreement with Vimplecom and Megafon to jointly develop mobile commerce in Russia. The agreement provides for integration of our mobile commerce platform Easy Payment with similar platforms of other operators. For our subscribers this will result in the expansion of services and products that can be purchased through Easy Payment.
Likewise, Megafon and Vimpelcom customers will now be able to pay for the services of vendors currently only available through Easy Payment. Collectively, the Big 3 will enable payments to more than 5,000 vendors.
Easy Payment, first launched in August 2010, allowed MTS subscribers to make quick payments from their mobile accounts or bank cards. Easy Payment has quickly become a popular application with over two million downloads. Most of the subscribers are using the service for topping up accounts with mobile operators, paying for internet services, redeeming consumer loans and transferring money to electronic money systems as well as for transactions with e-commerce merchants.
The pace of the mobile payments’ growth are in Russia astounding. According to the estimates of AC&M consultancy, the volume of mobile payments in Russia more than tripled reaching 14 billion Russian rubles. AC&M expects it to at least double in 2012. The new initiative will help to further increase customers’ awareness of mobile commerce and promote instant payments helping Russia to expand the size of non-cash economy. Cooperation between mobile operators will facilitate access to payments systems for vendors and stimulate e-commerce in Russia.