Mobile Banking (or let’s call semi Mobile Banking) is on the rise these days. Ufone is now offering its customers, what Ufone calls it, premium mobile banking services.
Ufone says that UPayment is the first step in the direction of Mobile Banking, enabling customers to do financial transactions through their handsets.
Access Channels & Partners: Following Mobile Banking access channel(s) are offered to Ufone Subscribers
WAP (Partner Bank: Habib Bank Limited, Backend Solution Providers: TPS & Fundamo)
UPayments Salient Features:
UPayments WAP Portal offers the following services to its valuable subscribers having bank account(s) with partner bank(s):-
- All banked Customers can easily access UPayments WAP Portal anywhere any time (even on International Roaming worldwide) through their GPRS enabled handsets by visiting http://upayments.net
- UPayments is a secured WAP portal backed by industry’s most reliable 128 bits SSL certificate issued by Verisign, Inc in name of UPayments.net and ownership to PTML. (The SSL certificate details can be viewed from any handset by checking Page Options/Info or Security Info).
- UPayments provide additional security to the subscribers by offering 2 different PINs. First the WAP login PIN (or Ufone PIN) that is used to login to the WAP Portal whereas the second PIN is Bank’s T-PIN (Telephonic PIN) required for every Financial or Non-Financial Transaction ensuring maximum security yet with convenience.
- For every successful login and transactions done on UPayments WAP Portal, the subscriber will immediately be notified via SMS to his registered Ufone number.
After the secured Login subscribers can perform the following:-
Financial Transactions:-
- Ufone Prepaid ULoad (available denominations Rs. 250/-, Rs. 500/-, Rs. 1,000/- and Rs. 1,500/-)
- Ufone Postpaid Bill Inquiry (Total Payable Bill)
- Ufone Postpaid Bill Payment (Supporting partial or full payment minimum Rs. 500/- and Max. 5,000/- in multiples of Rs. 50/-)
- Utility Bill Inquiry (Supporting KESC, LESCO, SSGC & SNGPL)
- Utility Bill Status (Paid, Unpaid, Blocked)
- Utility Payment (Direct payment from respective bank account in real time)
Non-Financial Transactions:-
- Bank Account Balance Inquiry
- Bank Account Mini Statement
- Ufone PIN Change (Online WAP Login PIN Change facility. In case if the subscriber forget his Ufone PIN and/or T-PIN than he will have to call Bank’s Call Center at 021-111-111-425)
UPayments Subscription:
Prior to enjoying the facilities provided by UPayments, Ufone subscribers having bank account with partner banks will have to go through the registration process as per the designated UPayments Access Channels. The registration process also requires subscribers to go through KYC (Know Your Customer) verification process at their respective bank as per SBP Bank-led Mobile Banking Model; this ensures that only valid and authenticated subscribers can get registration and perform the financial transactions. For details please call 333 from your Ufone Mobile.
Terms and Conditions:
- UPayments is offered to all Ufone subscribers (both prepaid and postpaid) having bank accounts with partner banks.
- Ufone subscribers must have GPRS activated on their handsets to access to UPayments.
- Upon browsing through the UPayments WAP portal, standard GPRS charges (or UrEDGE Data Packages) will be applicable.
- Every SMS request to short code 808 will be charged for Rs. 0.25/-+Tax.
- For every utility bill payment, the subscriber will be charged Rs. 5/-+Tax from his Ufone Prepaid Airtime.
- In case of PIN(s) forget, both Ufone PIN and T-PIN can be regenerated by calling HBL Helpline at 021-111-111-425.
- Similarly if the subscriber wishes to change his current used Ufone number to a new Ufone number he will have to visit his HBL branch and fill the requisite form of change contacts and will have to call HBL helpline to get the new number registered for UPayments.
- Ufone is not liable for any wrong, delayed or non-payment of Utility Bills. For all issues and concerns regarding Utility Bill Payments subscriber is advised to contact respective bank/utility company for settlement.
Good initiative. It must give a tough time to at least Mobillink Genie.innov8 is also offering such services with an advantage that they have more banks than just HBL. However, collaboration between TPS and Fundamo can take this service of Ufone to new heights by bringing all the 1 Link members banks to this service.
This service is also provided by MCB Bank, called as MCB Mobile Banking.
Ufone is using same platform which were used by MCB and Telenor – Tameer Bank.
Fundamo Rocks in Pakistan..
KS
a good step towards future.
nice service i think ufone include more banks in the list
I am using orion from last 3 years.
http://upayments.net isn’t opening.
This can only be access by using Ufone GPRS/EDGE service.
KS
WAP and GPRS are good interative media/channels for such services, but to make this move popular the channel to be used has to be SMS. The true potential of m-banking can only be achieved it can be extended to the masses…and that is certainly not through GPRS or WAP channels. GPRS is definitely not an option because it’s not secure. WAP is still a better option, but it is nothing more than internet banking. :). But a commendable start, nonetheless.
Yes, I agree with H. You can only target Masses by SMS. GPRS will always be for NICHE customer base. Also, WAP/GPRS has its own security loopholes which leaves it viable to attack.
By the way, the bank PIN is not a TPIN. State bank regulation prohibits using TPIN for Mobile channels. It has to be a separate PIN called MPIN.
Good effort but still needs a lot of improvements especially if HBL and uFone are targeting branchless banking. SMS with right encryption/security is the only way forward.
I am sorry but just one thing… Are u guys saying that SMS is a “secure” medium and moreover more secure and reliable than Gprs!?
I was fascinated by this offer, got a new account with HBL, and applied for phone banking but I couldn’t use the facility because i had applied for phone banking but had not activated mobile banking, Finally i got that activated and was issued my Nick, now i can use Upayments on my Ufone number..
UPayments works on any handset without GPRS or Internet
details: http://www.ufone.com/upayments.aspx