STRATEGIC PARTNERS
October 1, 2002
LONDON -- The LINK Interchange Network Ltd -- the company that processes transactions for the UK's LINKATM network -- has signed a contract with Vodafone to provide a pre-pay mobile phone top-up service at ATMs.
The first contracts to deliver the service have already been signed, with Moneybox Corporation as the first ATM deployer and Vodafone as the first mobile phone operator. Other mobile operators are expected to follow suit, according to a LINK news release. Creation Financial Services has signed contracts with LINK to provide the service as a card issuer.
Abbey National became the first ATM deployer in the UK to roll out mobile phone top-ups on its ATMs on Sept. 9, in a deal with mobile provider Orange. However, the service is offered only on Abbey National machines that the bank drives itself. (See related stories UK's Abbey National goes live with mobile phone top-upsand UK bank to use S2 Systems processing platform for phone top-ups)
"This will be the first time the service will be available across the UK's shared network," said LINK spokesman George Donovan. "We are confident that other members of LINK will come on board now that we've made this breakthrough."
LINK has completed all of its technical development and the feature is currently in testing, Donovan said.
When the service goes live, customers of participating mobile operators will be able to use selected ATMs connected to the LINK network to top up their phones by inserting their ATM cards into the machine and following the screen prompts to complete the mobile top-up procedure. Payment is authorized directly from the customer's account.
"We envisage the time when customers of any mobile operator will be able to top-up their airtime at any UK ATM, 24 hours a day. This deal paves the way for members of the LINK network to offer the service at their ATMs," said Nigel Wright, LINK's operations and development director.
"This development fully supports Vodafone's aim to have 50 percent of top-ups performed electronically by the end of 2003, as well as adding further ease and choice to our customers," said Stephen Brewer, managing director of Vodafone Sales and Distribution.
"Mobile top-up is well suited to delivery through ATMs, providing a convenient customer service," said Nigel Constable, group technology director for Moneybox. "Moneybox sees added services and benefits as a key differentiator for customers using ATMs."
Moneybox, which deployed its first machines in July of 1999, said that its UK ATM business moved into the black for the first time in July of 2002. (See related story Moneybox now profitable in UK)
