SMS Used to Top-up PrePay Accounts

Romania's GSM network operator, Connex has selected Macalla Mobile Top-Up from Macalla Software to allow their subscribers top-up their prepaid accounts securely from their bank account using SMS. The service is available since end July, and is an integral part of Connex's strategy to provide their subscribers with a range of value-added innovative services that use their mobile phone as a payment device.

Macalla Mobile Top-Up provides the backbone for this new service, securely connecting subscribers' mobile phones with Connex's internal IT infrastructure and billing systems, and allowing subscribers top up their accounts securely from their bank accounts via an SMS message. Top-up requests, initiated from the handset, are routed to Macalla Mobile Top-Up which seeks bank authorisation to debit the subscriber's account. Once this authorisation is given, Macalla Mobile Top-Up then issues an instruction to credit the subscriber's pre-paid Connex account. The subscriber then receives instant SMS notification confirming the success of the transaction. SIM cards and integration services have been provided by global telecoms integrator SchlumbergerSema.

"Macalla Software was chosen because of their proven experience in enabling mobile operators offer secure transaction capability to subscribers" said Vishant Vora, Connex CTO and Vice President Networks and Systems. "The combination of domain experience from Macalla Software and SIM card and integration skills from SchlumbergerSema has proved to be successful for this deployment. We expect that our subscribers will appreciate the commitment that Connex continues to show by offering them state-of-the-art innovative services."

Posted to the site on 10th September 2003