Partners Mobile-XL and payvia offer mobile payment option for feature phones in developing markets
Carrier biller provider payvia has announced a partnership with Mobile-XL, a browsing platform for feature phones that offers access to digital services such as Facebook, Twitter and email. Mobile-XL targets markets in Africa and India, using SMS as a data channel. With the platform's addition of carrier billing through payvia, users can now quickly pay for digital content using prepaid carrier airtime.
"With over 800 million mobile subscribers in Africa alone, fewer than one-third of whom have access to traditional banking or credit card solutions, we believe that payvia's technology will soon be the preferred way for both consumers and merchants to buy and sell digital goods throughout Africa," said Darcy Wedd, CEO of payvia. "Our partnership with Mobile-XL, whose emerging market expertise is unrivaled, is testament to our commitment to provide consumers with greater mobile access to the digital goods and services people want."
With Mobile-XL's connections to carriers such as Orange, MTN, Vodafone and Etisalat, consumers in more than 40 markets get access to popular content without needing a data service and with only a small fee taken from carrier airtime.
"Mobile-XL is breaking down the barriers of Internet access, enabling users to enjoy the mobile web at the low cost and convenience of messaging," said Guy Kamgaing, CEO of Mobile-XL. "Our partnership with payvia is an example of innovation to solve the challenge of providing affordable access to valuable digital services to people without smartphones, data plans, bank accounts or credit cards."
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