Tag: mobile commerce services

United Nations adopts mobile commerce service from Etisalat

| May 14, 2014

Flous mobile commerce service to be used by UN agency in Togo, Africa

Etisalat, a leading telecommunications organization in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, has announced that its mobile commerce service, called Flous, has been adopted by the United Nations’ Population Fund Agency. The agency will be using Flous to transfer salaries of more than 6,000 of its agents working in Togo. The mobile commerce platform has managed to acquire a significant amount of praise from those that have used it in many parts of the world and the platform is expected to meet the needs of the UN agency.

Service will allow agents to access their funds from a mobile device and pay for products and bills online

The Population Fund Agency in Togo is the first United Nations organization to adopt the service developed by Etisalat. The service will also those with an Etisalat account to access their funds through their mobile device. They will be able to use their smartphones and tablets to purchase products online with relative ease. Mobile shopping has become quite popular in Africa, especially as a growing number of people gain access to smartphones and similar devices.

Mobile shopping continues to grow due to its convenience

Mobile Commerce ServiceMobile shopping represents a certain degree of convenience for people living in many parts of the world. Those with limited personal time can benefit from mobile shopping, purchasing the products they need during long commutes. Mobile shopping can also exist as a way to get away from the crowds that are typically found at physical stores. These crowds can be a cause for anxiety among some people and mobile shopping could be an appropriate escape from such situations.

Lack of mobile infrastructure may hinder the growth of mobile services

Some infrastructure challenges may prevent the Flous platform from finding initial success in Togo. Mobile commerce is still quite new and many countries have not yet taken the steps necessary to accommodate mobile consumers. As such, relatively few retailers, utilities, and other businesses in Togo accept mobile payments currently, but this may change as mobile commerce continues to grow in popularity.

Payments Council prepares to step into the mobile commerce arena

| March 13, 2014

Organization set to launch a new mobile service in the UK

The Payments Council, an organization comprised of financial institutions based in the United Kingdom, is set to launch a new mobile commerce service named Paym. The service is meant to provide consumers with a more secure way to make mobile payments. Security remains one of the most outstanding and problematic issues that faces the mobile space. Because mobile commerce has become so popular among consumers, it has also become a popular target for malicious groups that seek to exploit financial information.

Paym aims to make money transfers quick and easy

Paym has the backing of several prominent financial institutions due to their association with the Payments Council. The service is designed to allow consumers to send money directly to a bank account as quickly as other forms of money transfer would work. The Payment Council notes that the service is linked to an overarching initiative in the United Kingdom that involves associated all bank accounts with a mobile device. Money transfers through Paym can be done through the use of a mobile number.

Collaboration may help companies avoid unnecessary competition in the mobile space

UK Mobile Commerce - Mobile PaymentsCompetition in the mobile commerce sector is quite fierce, if somewhat in overabundance. Many startups are fighting one another to win the attention and support of consumers while large companies are doing the same. The Payments Council believes that collaboration in necessary in order for mobile payments to become mainstream. These collaborations could allow organizations to sidestep much of the competition that exists in the mobile space, but whether these collaborations can produce services that consumers are interested in has yet to be seen.

Paym may be able to lay some security concerns to rest

Paym is expected to be made available later this year. The service is currently undergoing a final stage of testing before it is officially released. Concerns regarding security remain high, however, but with the regulations that banks must adhere to, these concerns could be dispelled once the service is launched. Banks have long focused on financial security and are typically required to meet the security standards of whatever country they are operating in.