[November 10, 2005] SmartPay and Fufeitong Launch Utility Bill Pay Services for Mobile Users in Shanghai Tweet Service Allows Any Mobile Customer to Pay Bills Instantly Via Any Mobile Handset SHANGHAI, China, Nov. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Fufeitong Shanghai Co. Ltd. (''Fufeitong'') and Smartpay Jieyin Ltd. (''Smartpay'') today announced the joint launch of mobile utility bill payments covering most every utility company and bank in the Shanghai municipal region. SmartPay will extend utility payments to all mobile phone users in Shanghai by through close cooperation with Fufeitong and its partners as part of a broad strategic partnership. Any mobile phone or PHS user in Shanghai can register for the service via participating bank hotlines or directly with SmartPay. Once registered, users can pay any utility bill as soon as it's received by sending the bill code by SMS to SmartPay. In addition, users can elect to receive monthly SMS alerts when bills are due, which can then be easily paid by simply replying to the alert. Payment is made by real time debit from the user's bank account to the utility. The service complements online and terminal-based utility bill payments currently offered by Fufeitong, and will shortly be extended to also function through WAP and k-JAVA interfaces over mobile networks. ''The practical application of this service is extremely unique,'' commented Greg Shen, SmartPay CEO. ''As soon as a utility bill arrives, it can be paid instantly by sending a simple SMS from a mobile handset, eliminating the need to pay in person. Bills can also be delivered to customers via SMS as soon as the balance is due for instant payment. The level of convenience afforded to customers and the service's broad reach will clearly encourage rapid uptake in usage.'' The service covers 15 phone, gas and utility companies including Dazhong Gas, North Shanghai Gas, Pudong Gas, North Shanghai Water, South Shanghai Water, Minhang Water, Pudong Water, Songjiang Water, Shanghai Electric, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Netcom, China Unicom, China Railcom and Runxun Telecom. The utilities covered with this product launch have residential billings in excess of RMB 1.25 billion per month (USD 154 million), and toward business customers in excess of RMB 10 billion per month (USD 1.23 billion). Bank Partners for the service include ICBC, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, Construction Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Post Savings Bank, Pudong Development Bank, China Merchant's Bank, Shenzhen Development Bank, Guangdong Development Bank, China Everbright Bank, Citic Industrial Bank, Huaxia Bank, Minsheng Bank and Bank of Shanghai. Once registered, users can also enjoy other services currently offered by SmartPay in Shanghai, including automated mobile top-up, mobile phone bill pay, ticket purchasing and real time peer-to-peer credit transfer between mobiles. The unique aspects of SmartPay's business are the high level of partnership and integration with banks enabling real time payments from any bank account directly to merchants, the focus on processing payments for transactions where the use of a mobile handset adds particular convenience or value, For more about Fufeitong and SmartPay please visit http://www.fufeitong.com.cn/ and http://www.smartpay.com.cn/ . For further information, please contact: Catherine Duan Tel: +86-21-5385-2690 Fax: +86-21-5385-2689 Email: [email protected] Smartpay Jieyin Ltd. CONTACT: Catherine Duan, +86-21-5385-2690, or fax, +86-21-5385-2689, [email protected] Web Site: http://www.fufeitong.com.cn/http://www.smartpay.com.cn/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]