December 2, 2004
Concept of paying by phone taking shape in the U.S.
In Watertown, Mass., a cab company owner Moe Taha rolled out MobileLime, a service that allows passengers to pay for a ride by dialing, pressing a couple of buttons and then giving the cab driver the last four digits of their phone number as they leave.
Back at the taxi company's shop, a software provided by MobileLime completes the transaction.
The concept of paying by phone finally is taking shape in the U.S.
ViVOtech , a company based in Santa Clara, Calif., also has developed software that could be installed in cellphones to handle payments.
Last year, when MasterCard International ran pilot programs for various cardless payment options, it found that payment by phone was one of the most popular choices. The pilots allowed users in Dallas to pay for gas, snacks and other goods by waving their cellphone over a reader at the retailer.
Yet not everyone sees the advantage to paying over cellphone.
"What happens if I'm trying to pump some gas and there's no [cellphone] coverage? I've just lost my wallet?" asks Michael Becker, from iLoop Mobile, a San Francisco company that provides marketing services based on cellphones.
(via WSJ)
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