Vodacom customers can now buy airtime, data bundles and SMS bundles using their debit, cheque or credit cards via their mobile phones with the new Express Recharge service providing customers with a convenient way to top-up.
The service that lets customers buy Vodacom Prepaid or Top Up airtime for themselves or for other mobile phone users is available for customers who bank with Absa, Standard Bank and Nedbank.
Developed in conjunction with Absa, the enabler and provider of the financial back end, the service aims to ensure seamless and secure processing of transactions, achieved through verification by a bank card‘s personal identification number (PIN).
Customers do not need internet access in order to buy airtime using funds from their bank account. To access this service customers can dial *130*082# from their mobile phones and follow the prompts.
To access this free service, customers are required to register their debit, cheque or credit card the first time they dial *130*082#. The service links a customer‘s bank card to their cellphone so that they are able to perform the recharge. The recharge purchased is then deducted from the user‘s bank account and only bank card charges apply.
“œWe‘re taking convenience to the next level. Our customers can now recharge with ease whenever they want wherever they are. We‘ve also added a new feature that allows customers to choose between purchasing voice airtime, SMS or data bundles, which means that our customers will not need to convert airtime to data bundles,“ says Chris Ross, Managing Executive for Commercial Development at Vodacom.
“œWe are acutely aware that not all customers have access to internet and/or cellphone banking and thus cannot purchase airtime via our digital channels. Customers can now enjoy the convenience provided by the Vodacom Express Recharge service that uses the specific dial in code to facilitate the payment,“ said Arrie Rautenbach, Absa‘s Head of Retail Markets.
“œInitially, our mobile merchant service will be used with Vodacom Express Recharge for purchasing prepaid airtime, sms and data bundles. Later, Absa plans to extend this ability to pay with card on mobile to other merchants, products and services,“ adds Rautenbach.
