Indonesian bank PT Bank Permata TBK, BlackBerry and mobile money provider Monitise PLC announced that BBM Money, a mobile money product for BlackBerry smartphones, is being deployed in Indonesia. This is the official launch of the mobile money product Monitise announced several weeks ago.

Using BBM Money, PermataBank customers will be able to create and access mobile money accounts using their BlackBerry smartphones. The service will allow them to make real-time payments to others who are also enrolled in the service, transfer money to their bank accounts, and buy mobile airtime.

"This initiative is a response to growing customers and society needs of easy and convenient banking services by using their smartphone," said David Fletcher, president director of PermataBank. "This is in line with our vision to be the pioneer in delivering innovative financial solutions and also reflects our support to Bank Indonesia’s concept of a cashless society in Indonesia."

The service has been developed by PT AGIT Monitise Indonesia, a joint venture between Monitise Asia Pacific and Astra Graphia Information Technology. PermataBank will issue BBM Money mobile money accounts and process financial transactions, the partners said.

BBM customers can register through a simple process and create a BBM Money account with PermataBank. Money can be loaded to the account at any of the 70,000 ATMs in Indonesia. A one-time identity check is also required.

"This is a game-changing innovation as the transactions can be performed as easy as chatting on BBM and the customer can create their mobile money account directly on their BlackBerry smartphone," said Lauren Sulistiawati, retail banking director of PermataBank.

 Read more about money transfer/P2P.