STRATEGIC PARTNERS
October 22, 2002
Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) customers will be able to fill up their prepaid mobile phone accounts along with their gas tanks at ATMs in convenience stores nationally beginning next year, according to a Verizon news release. Verizon has more than 30 million wireless customers.
Verizon is currently testing the system in St. Louis and plans to launch a test in Boston in late October. The participants in St. Louis include: iATMglobal, a division of NCR dedicated to providing new services at the ATM; ISO Welch Systems and billing provider Boston Communications Group Inc. (bcgi).
(See related story NCR is apparent winner of race to offer prepaid services)
Customers will be able to swipe a credit card on specially-equipped ATMs, enter their wireless phone number and select an amount to be added to their account. The service targets the growing number of customers who choose to use prepaid service for wireless phone accounts. Verizon said those customers include young people and customers who can't afford a monthly billing plan.
In most cases, customers currently replenish minutes at company stores, by phone or online. Verizon's plan is to give customers another option for adding minutes.
In July bcgi created a division called bcgi Payment Services to focus on ATMs and other alternative payment methods that wireless carriers can offer their customers. In addition to iATMglobal, bcgi signed an agreement with E*TRADE Access last February.
