MTN makes good on its promise to launch Mobile Money in Rwanda

Last October, Africas largest mobile operator MTN said that it would be launching its revolutionary Mobile Money service in Rwanda by the end of the year. Ok, so its over a month late - but better late than never for the people who previously didn’t have access to banking services. Let’s see what they’ll be getting.

Trial of true mobile payment begins in Shanghai

“Mobile payment” is a large category. It covers everything from using SMS to confirm your credit card in a retailer, to simply ordering an item over the mobile internet. But for me, the true meaning of “mobile payments” has always been to actually use your device as a payment method. Combining NFC with mobile devices, you could just wave your mobile over a reader at check-out to pay for your goods. This already works well with cards (like the Oyster card for the London Underground), and the same technology can simply be placed in your phone. Today, China Mobile and a Shanghai-based tech firm, SEIMMA Tech Co., have launched a mobile device payment trial in Shanghai.

More ways that mobile can help in Haiti: credit top ups are a form of contact and currency

While larger institutions like Ericsson and the Mobile Giving Foundation are doing their thing in Haiti, there’s still room for other companies to help however they can. A great example can be found in Ezetop, and Irish company that is helping Haitian expats to send mobile credit to loved ones in the disaster zone.

Which do you prefer, your bank or your mobile phone?

It’s no secret that mobile finances are in the ascendent in Africa. While m-payments are being touted in Europe and America as a more convenient way to bank and pay, in Africa they mean so much more. And recent research shows that Nigerians trust their mobile more than a bank when it comes to handling money.

Haiti disaster proves how good a channel mobile is for charity and disaster relief

At a mobile money conference in Los Angeles last November, I had the chance to talk to Jim Manis, CEO of Mobile Giving. He spoke about how charities tend to view mobile as a once off “strategy” for donation, rather than as a channel through which long-term donors can be acquired (see the full interview here). But the success of mobile as a channel for sending to the victims of the Haitian earthquake could be the turning point that changes peoples minds. Mobile really can be used to help people all over the world, every single day.

Arcot and MasterCard use mobile apps to bolster credit card security

Authentication experts Arcot have announced that MasterCard security features for credit cards are now available for your mobile phone. What this means is that you can now authorise your credit card transactions over your phone (”Card Not Present” transactions) with the same level of security as if you were using a physical MasterCard terminal. In theory, at least.

Yet more mobile banking - but it’s mobile payments we need.

Two industry leaders announced a mobile banking partnership today. Canada-based Scotiabank and mobile payments veteran M-Com will be launching an extensive service early next year. But the banks that are announcing mobile service now are really just catching up, and we need to be looking forward to mass adoption of mobile payment services.

Are ABnote and Sicap the next big thing in NFC mobile commerce?

A mobile software expert and a banking provider have teamed up to push mobile NFC for banking. ABnote and Sicap have announced that they are setting themselves up as an “aggregator” for any bank, retailer or mass transit provider that wants to create an NFC system. If this paragraph hasn’t made any sense to you so far, then don’t worry! All will be explained.

Enterprise app from Wells Fargo goes from Blackberry to iPhone

I’ve always been impressed with Wells Fargo when it comes to mobile services. It’s a financial institution that has always been willing to try new things on mobile, and try to pre-empt customer needs in the space. Now it has announced that its CEO Mobile service on Blackberry is being launched as an iPhone app.

Mobile money roundup: NFC, Indian unbanked, Fiserv and Xcellink

Fiserv continues to spread mobile to smaller American banks. Indian Corporation Bank is using mobile to provide commerce services to 2,000 unbanked villages. Xcellink has secured an important mobile transactions patent in China. Twinlinx and Inside Contactless have announced a partnership to drive NFC-based mobile payments in North America.

GoMo 1-to-1: the future of mobile payments with OpenMarket

I interviewed Jay Emmet from mobile communications hub OpenMarket at Mobile Commerce World in San Francisco. We had a great interview, covering “second wave” app stores; the unique position that telcos are in to push mobile commerce forward; the future of mobile as a more powerful payment method than credit cards and more.

Mobile Commerce World: paying through applications with PayPal

At the Mobile Commerce World conference in San Francisco today, I was unfortunate enough to see a demo of mobile payment from PayPal. In this video, you’ll see Eric Duprat, General Manager, Pay Pal Mobile presenting what the company hopes the future of mobile application payments to be… by ordering pizza over your mobile.

GoMo 1-to-1 at Mobile Commerce World: Sybase 365 talks about Western Union

I interviewed Cameron Franks of Sybase 365 at the Mobile Commerce World event in San Francisco today. Sybase handles literally billions of interconnections between mobile operators, mostly in the form of SMS. Cameron and I spoke about the mobile commerce services that Sybase is working on: including its recent announcement of a deal with Western Union, and plans to offer more value to customers through mobile finances.

Mobile Commerce World: new opportunities for banks in m-commerce

It’s refreshing to get the bank perspective about mobile banking. At Mobile Commerce World in San Francisco today, representatives from SunTrust Bank and Wells Fargo took to the stage and discussed the experiences, expectations and future plans of banks working in mobile.

GoMo at Mobile Commerce World USA

The world of mobile commerce will be coming together in San Francisco on November 3r and 4th, at Mobile Commerce World USA. People from every part of the mobile money world will be there, including operators, investors, developers and the government. And, of course, the media!

Mobile News for Leaders