WARID and Orange Uganda have joined the Mobile Money network to offer money transfer services to their clients. MTN's Mobile money and UTL's M-Sente are already in operation with DSTV, Umeme, NWSC among others using this service for customers to settle their bills.

At Case Clinic for example, you clearly see a notice displayed at the payment point that they accept mobile money payments.  This can be helpful in a number of ways, assuming you are short on cash of course as you did not know the cost of the drugs coupled with the consultation fee, you could go ahead and call up a friend to bail you out by sending the money to your phone so that the medical bills can be settled.

Not so many people might be embracing it now but it will be a matter of time before this becomes a way of life though problems like load shedding can easily affect you if you do not charge your mobile phone.

To access your account which in this case is your mobile phone, it must be on. To receive money as well, the phone must be on because unlike SMS that can be delivered when the phone is switched on, you must use a service centre to retrieve mobile money messages.

Pay TV customers on the DSTV service under Multichoice have another reason to smile after exchange rates were added to allow you pay the exact amount for the desired package.

Customers on MTN Mobile Money can simply enter this code *160*3*2*1# and the market rates will follow. Now that the service is invoiced in dollars, it is important to pay the exact amount as the dollar rate keeps on fluctuating every now and then.

Today, 9 Aug 2011 rates for the DSTV Bouquets were as follows:

• Premium Ugx 209,450
• Compact Plus Ugx 128,900
• Compact Ugx 75,200
• Family: 53,700
• Access Ugx 26, 500
• Premium +Xtraview/ Dual: 236,300/-

The beauty with Mobile Money is that the moment you call the call centre and you notify them of the payment, the amount will be visible on your account at the time of the call.

Initially, if you had made a payment from say Shell Select, you could then call the support team through the call centre, who could then connect you for at least two days before the accounts department eventually clears you.

This latest development will certainly save customers a lot of time and money that they have otherwise been wasting in driving, walking and so on just to get money through.

Related: Pay Your DSTV Bill with MTN Mobile Money

It's becoming more popular with increased agents and subscribers within the city centres and limited presence upcountry going under brand names like Mobile Money, M-Sente and M-Pesa.

It is a convenient service and those who have used it will concur. Like any other service, when it grows then challenges set in as well and below we look at how this service that has taken Kampala and other places by storm.

Not Enough Money
This applies to whether you are receiving or sending. You get to a point and you are asked how much are you sending or receiving for that case, in some cases even the smallest amount will not be transacted. There's no float.

Paying Water Bills
It so convenient that you just pay like you are making a phone call. The problem is that payments made today will not have been knocked off three weeks later from your account so the next invoice will include what was paid and the subsequent bill making matters worse. Not until this is synchronized, customers will continue lining up in the banks now that most cash offices have been closed.

Limited Service Centres
By now you should know that an agent will simply handle withdrawals and deposits. In case of any trouble shooting elements or customer care related problems, then this can only be handled at the service centre. One well known service centre is on Kampala road opposite Bank of Uganda. Again you will not avoid finding long queues here.

Delays from Agents
For an agent to have money on their phone, they must have banked the money through Stanbic Bank and later that money is verified and channelled to their mobile phones which they can in turn use for paying whoever wants to withdraw. We talked to some agents and said that at times it takes two days before they can realise the money on their phones. This is one of the reasons some agents will tell you that we do not have enough float and you wonder what they are talking about.

This is typical of technology taking centre stage very similar to the days when money used to be counted by mere hands but now that  is a thing of the past because money counting machines took over that role. Automation is the way forward because it is a time saving tool.

 ATMs, Credit Cards plus other where life has been simplified is what we are talking about. This is exactly what NWSC did. It started off by closing most of the offices because there services were not required as a result of this innovation.

UMEME should be in advanced stages of rolling out a similar plan if they have not yet done so. This service is in addition to the paying in the bank for those who still want to do things in a traditional way.

You pay through the bank and you have a copy on you as proof that you have paid, however, when paying with mobile money, your confirmation receipt is on your phone, but the beauty with this is that you have just communicated with NWSC and they are aware you have paid, so if your balance does not warrant being disconnected, they will not disconnect you.

To begin with you must be registered with MTN Mobile Money for MTN or M-Sente for UTL Subscribers. Registration is free so I see no point why you should not be registered by now. With Mobile Money, you can pay a number of things ranging from DSTV, NWSC Bills, buying airtime and School Fees and the list is growing as more service providers appreciate the beauty of the service.

You must also have money on your phone, which can be used to pay for the service you are vying for. You deposit money on your phone through an authorized Mobile Money Agent just like you go to a bank to deposit your money.  If it is for your water bill, then you take the following steps:

·         MTN Mobile Money on your phone

·         Pay Bill

·         Select Location

·         Customer Number

·         Amount

·         And then Pay.

On entering the customer number, your details come up as into your account name at NWSC plus the balance you are required to pay. This gives you the confidence that you are dealing with the right account and therefore no need of worrying that you are paying money on a different account other than yours.

In the same vein, NWSC introduced On Spot Billing. This is the very service that they use to detect whoever paid at what time. The service is a time saving project, and a convenient way to the customers who had to line up in long queues. That time can now be used to do other things.

On the issue of jobs that have been lost as a result of the innovation, they can now be absorbed in other sectors that may require their services.

Fast, Secure & Affordable are understatements when it comes to what is now called Mobile Commerce. Launched early 2009, MTN Mobile money has yet again added another service that can be used with its Mobile Money facility on top of sending and receiving money, buying airtime or sending airtime to another number on the same network, now you can also pay for your DSTV bill.

Some have even gone along way in using it as a safe custody for monies or a savings account as monies kept on the mobile phone will remain intact once not touched.  To pay your DSTV bill using MTN Mobile money follow the following steps:

• MTN Menu
• Select Pay Bill
• Select DSTV
• Enter the 11 digits of your Smart Card
• Enter the bouquet package amount
• Enter Pin and Confirm

Digital Satellite Television is provided by Multi Choice with its headquarters at Buganda road in which a dish is connected to your TV set where as MTN Mobile money is open to those on the MTN network though you need to register for the service. Registration is free which normally requires taking down your details on to a form followed by a replacement of your current  sim card to one that is Mobile Money enabled.

The new sim card does not result in loss of data because all the information on the old sim card is transferred to the new sim card. The major benefit in signing up is the reduced charges you pay while receiving money. The charge by non registered customers is a lot higher compared to those who are registered.

So now that registering is free what do you loose and yet the benefits are enormous ranging from sending, receiving, electronic wallet, paying bills. We are crossing to an era of electronic bills a move that environmentalists advocate for day in day out.
Related:  Mobile Money Transfer now in Uganda
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