Bank of New Zealand has teamed with Vodafone to enable its customers to purchase airtime from their mobile hand sets.
The partners have begun piloting the mobile payment service, called Vodafone Hotlink, which will be officially launched next year.
Customers can register for the service at a Bank of New Zealand ATM. Vodafone pre-pay customers will be able to top up airtime accounts directly from their mobiles, while other customers will be able to pay their monthly accounts directly from their handsets. Customers will also have the option to top up a mobile that belongs to somebody else.
Funds will be debited from customers' bank accounts in real time.
Russell Stanners, director, business markets, Vodafone, says the HotLink service "is a significant platform for further mobile commerce initiatives in New Zealand which will mean customers can pay for a range of goods and services using their mobile just like an eftpos terminal".
Bank of New Zealand says the service it is a critical first step into mobile commerce and paves the way for further, future developments.