News and Press Releases
June, 2010
- MasterCard Joins Forces with Smart Hub, Inc.
- MoneyGram International Expands Mobile Money Transfer Services
in Hong Kong with UAE Exchange. - KSA’s largest bank offers free remittance to Smart Money Accounts.
MasterCard Joins Forces with Smart Hub, Inc.
Joint Venture Will Accelerate the Delivery of Mobile Payments in Developing Markets
MasterCard Worldwide and Smart Hub, Inc., a subsidiary of leading wireless services provider, Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART), have announced a joint venture to roll out MasterCard mobile payment solutions for consumers in emerging markets around the world. This will accelerate the delivery of mobile payment solutions that will enable financial institutions and cellular phone networks in various countries to deliver end-to-end mobile payment services through the MasterCard Worldwide Network.
This comes on the heels of a successful introduction of the Mobile Payments Gateway (MPG) in 2009 in Brazil with Itaú Unibanco, Redecard and mobile network operator, Vivo, in which SMART, through Smart Hub, Inc., was tapped by MasterCard Worldwide to provide the mobile financial services platform to support the new MasterCard MPG.
Below is the global announcement of MasterCard Worldwide for your reference:
Purchase, NY June 9, 2010 – MasterCard Worldwide and Smart Hub, Inc., a subsidiary of Smart Communications Inc., the biggest Mobile Network Operator (MNO) in the Philippines, today announced a joint venture to mobilize MasterCard payment solutions for consumers around the world. The partnership brings together Smart Hub Inc.’s tested mobile payments platform and telecom experience and MasterCard’s global brand, resilient network and electronic payments legacy in order to establish an optimal mobile payments infrastructure for the world’s developing economies.
The joint venture between MasterCard and Smart Hub Inc. will leverage the intersection of mobile telecommunications and electronic payments to meet the needs of the expanding mobile payments marketplace and grow their businesses. It will build upon their introduction of the MasterCard Mobile Payments Gateway, an open mobile payment processing platform designed to facilitate MasterCard Mobile Payment Solutions in developing markets, with the first launch scheduled in Brazil with Itaú Unibanco and Redecard, along with mobile network operator Vivo in Brazil.
“Our longstanding commitment to facilitating the development of the global mobile payments marketplace makes the joint venture with Smart Hub Inc. an exciting opportunity for MasterCard to speed up the execution of our mobile payments strategy in developing economies ,” said Joshua Peirez, Head of Innovative Platforms, MasterCard Worldwide. “By deepening our relationship, we will empower the one billion mobile phone users without bank accounts around the world[1] by providing a link to the MasterCard Worldwide Network—the global electronic infrastructure facilitating global commerce.”
“We are excited for MasterCard to leverage on Smart’s proven mobile payment technology and experience in delivering mobile financial services to un-banked consumers in emerging markets,” said Danilo J. Mojica, President, Smart Hub Inc. “By combining our assets with MasterCard’s powerful network and brand, we will add strategic value to the mobile payments value chain and help catalyze growth around the world.”
By bolstering the framework for mobile payments in developing economies, MasterCard and Smart Hub Inc. are meeting a societal need in transforming financial services for billions of consumers who have long been excluded from the traditional financial system. With mobile payments, both banked and unbanked mobile consumers will gain access to a wide range of MasterCard Mobile payments solutions that provide greater payment convenience and security over cash—using their mobile phone to make purchases, send and receive money between family and friends, transfer funds between accounts, pay bills, deposit funds such as payroll or social benefits, top up mobile airtime, load value to prepaid accounts, get cash from ATMs, and keep track of their balances and activities with mobile alerts.
About MasterCard Worldwide
MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 22.44 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial-institution customers and merchants. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network and through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercard.com
About Smart Communications, Inc.
Smart Communications, Inc. is the Philippines' leading wireless services provider with 43.2 million subscribers on its GSM network as of end-March 2010. SMART has built a reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless data services, including mobile commerce services such as Smart Money, Smart Load and Smart Padala. SMART also offers 3G and HSPA services. Its Smart Link service provides communications to the global maritime industry. Smart Broadband, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, offers a wireless broadband service, Smart BRO, with 1.2 million subscribers as of end-March 2010. SMART is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippines' leading telecommunications carrier, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company. For more information, visit www.smart.com.ph.
Contact Information:
MasterCard Worldwide: Erica Harvill; erica_harvill@mastercard.com; 914-249-6848
Smart Communications, Inc.: Ramon Isberto, RRIsberto@smart.com.ph ; 632 5113101
MoneyGram International Expands Mobile Money Transfer Services
in Hong Kong with UAE Exchange
MoneyGram makes sending money to the Philippines easier; waives remittance fees for first 300 senders
Leading global money transfer company, MoneyGram International, and the country’s leading wireless services provider, Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) today announced the expansion of their Mobile Money Transfer Services to include the Hong Kong market via MoneyGram agent, UAE Exchange. MoneyGram likewise announced that as an initial offering, remittance fees will be waived for the first 300 senders to SMART subscribers in the Philippines.
The service, which was launched early this year through approximately 40,000 MoneyGram U.S. agents, will now allow Filipinos in Hong Kong to remit funds directly to the SMART mobile phones of their beneficiaries.
To avail of the service, Filipinos simply have to go to any of the three chosen UAE Exchange locations in Hong Kong. The fund transfer will be credited directly to the Smart Money electronic cash card linked to the SMART cellphone of the Philippine-based beneficiary.
Below is the global announcement of MoneyGram International for your reference:
Hong Kong (June 15, 2010) – MoneyGram International (NYSE:MGI), a leading global money transfer company, announces today that its agent, UAE Exchange, will offer MoneyGram’s mobile money transfer service via SMART, the biggest Mobile Network Operator (MNO) in the Philippines. This agreement will provide customers in Hong Kong the ability to send funds to the Philippines quickly and directly to receivers’ mobile phone account.
Consumers can send funds from three UAE locations [OC1] to any SMART Money account linked to the SMART mobile phone in the Philippines. To celebrate this new way to send, the first 300 senders will enjoy a waiver of send fee when sending funds to SMART mobile phones in the Philippines. A currency exchange fee will apply as funds are deposited to the SMART account in pesos.
UAE locations offering MoneyGram money transfer service to SMART mobile phones are:
- Shop B1 G/F No. 6 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island;
- Portion 3 of Shop 1A on G / F, Lok Sing Centre, Nos. 2- 8 Sugar Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island;
- Shop 10, 1/F China HK City, No. 33 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon;
- Shop 234, 2/F Worldwide House No. 19 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong Island;
- 211, Shop No. 27 G/F Healey Building Yuen Long New Territories;
- G 17, Hankow Centre, 5 – 15 Hankow Road Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon.
“Hong Kong has a diverse Filipino community that regularly sends money home to support their beloved friends and family,” said Nick Cunnew, MoneyGram’s senior regional director for Asia Pacific and South Asia. “Mobile remittance offers a speedy, cost effective and convenient means of payment compared with traditional transfer services. This has a strong appeal to users in developing markets where some receivers may not have bank accounts.”.
Cunnew added, “We want to encourage anyone who frequently sends funds to the Philippines to try MoneyGram’s service to SMART mobile phones. It is a convenient and secure way for receivers to collect funds in the Philippines as funds are automatically deposited to the mobile device and there is no need to visit an agent location.”
"We are pleased to offer our countrymen with an affordable and accessible option to send money to their loved ones in the Philippines," said Jojo M. Malolos, SMART Financial Services Group Head. "As the country's leading wireless services provider, it has been our longstanding principle to partner with international institutions like MoneyGram to provide Filipinos with more relevant communication and remittance solutions. We are optimistic that more and more Filipinos around the world will be able to enjoy the benefits of this remittance service,” Malolos concluded.
Consumers generally keep their mobile phone within arms reach 24-hours a day, making it an ideal platform for convenient money transfer services. MoneyGram mobile money transfer is available currently in COUNTRY with plans to introduce the service in additional agent locations world-wide. For the closest UAE Exchange locations, please call (852) 2840 0740.
About MoneyGram International
MMoneyGram International offers more choices for people separated from friends and family by distance or those with limited bank relationships to meet their financial needs. A leading global provider of money transfer services, MoneyGram International helps consumers to safely send money around the world with funds arriving at available agent locations in as little as 10 minutes. Its global network is comprised of 200,000 agent locations in more than 190 countries and territories. MoneyGram’s convenient and reliable network includes retailers, international post offices and financial institutions. To learn more about money transfer at an agent location, please visit www.moneygram.com or follow us on Facebook.
About Smart Communications, Inc.
Smart Communications, Inc. is the Philippines' leading wireless services provider with 43.2 million subscribers on its GSM network as of end-March 2010. SMART has built a reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless data services, including mobile commerce services such as Smart Money, Smart Load and Smart Padala. SMART also offers 3G and HSPA services. Its Smart Link service provides communications to the global maritime industry. Smart Broadband, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, offers a wireless broadband service, Smart BRO, with 1.2 million subscribers as of end-March 2010. SMART is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippines' leading telecommunications carrier, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company. For more information, visit www.smart.com.ph.
MoneyGram makes sending money to the Philippines easier; waives remittance fees for first 300 senders
On June 12, Filipinos working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) may send cash to the Smart Money accounts of their loved ones in Philippines, free of charge. This special Independence Day offering is made possible by Quick Pay Remittance Service, the collaboration between KSA’s largest bank—National Commercial Bank (NCB) and the country’s leading wireless services provider—Smart Communication, Inc. (SMART).
Launched in 2008, NCB’s Quick Pay Remittance Service utilizes the SMART mobile commerce platform to facilitate remittance to a beneficiary account linked to the SMART mobile phone of a Philippine-based beneficiary, providing a convenient, secure and cost-effective remittance alternative for over a million Filipinos in Saudi Arabia. This is made possible by Smart Money, the world’s first reloadable electronic wallet card linked to a mobile phone.
Through the service, Filipinos may use NCB’s various Quick Pay Remittance Service channels—phone banking, internet banking (Alahli Online), remittance centers, cash deposit machines, over-the-counter transactions, and more than 1,000 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to send funds to any Smart Money account in the Philippines. To do so, the KSA-based sender simply has to indicate the Smart Money account number as the beneficiary account of the remittance. Transfer of funds will then commence at the speed and convenience of a text message. Beneficiaries are also informed of the safe and speedy delivery of funds via an SMS notification to their Smart mobile phones.
Funds from the successful cash transfer to the receiving Smart Money account may be withdrawn from over 7,000 ATMs in the Philippines, from Smart Wireless Centers and Smart Money Centers around the country, and may be used to purchase goods and services from millions of Smart Money and MasterCard partners all over the world and on the worldwide web.
About National Commercial Bank
National Commercial Bank is the most prominent of Saudi banks and was the first bank established in Saudi Arabia. It is the largest Bank in the Arab world with a paid-up capital of SR 15,000 million (US$ 4,000 million) and total assets amounting to SR 257,452 million (US$ 68,654 million) as of yearend 2009. The Bank operates 282 branches throughout the Kingdom, 1489 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), two international branches in Beirut and Bahrain, and three representative offices in London, Seoul, and Singapore, which cater to over two million customers. The Bank is one of the recognized pioneers in Islamic Banking, providing a wide range of innovative Islamic alternatives for various traditional services and products, including an array of alternative delivery channels such as Al-Ahli Telephone Banking, Al-Ahli Mobile Banking, Al-Ahli Online, Alahli eCorp, Alahli ePay, Al-Ahli Tadawul, Al-Ahli International Brokerage. For more information, visit www.alahli.com.
About Smart Communications, Inc.
Smart Communications, Inc. is the
Philippines' leading wireless services provider with 43.2 million
subscribers on its GSM network as of end-March 2010. SMART has built a
reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless data
services, including mobile commerce services such as Smart Money, Smart
Load and Smart Padala. SMART also offers 3G and HSPA services. Its Smart
Link service provides communications to the global maritime industry.
Smart Broadband, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, offers a wireless
broadband service, Smart BRO, with 1.2 million subscribers as of
end-March 2010. SMART is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippines'
leading telecommunications carrier, the Philippine Long Distance
Telephone Company. For more information, visit www.smart.com.ph.
