I was going through this article and wondering through intensive marketing most mobile phone service providers
already have a person who takes cash and recharges the mobile phone.
Why can’t he be upgraded into a person who would:
a. disperse/collect money
b. transfer money from one account to another. esp remittances from
city to families in villages.
c. Pay for the purchases at kirana stores etc.
This way without the need the need of armoured cars/atms and
investment in employees and infrastructure India could provide a bank
service for the masses.
Also the address proof and documentation required for opening a mobile
phone account is very similar to that required to open up a bank
account. Hence such a payment gateway won’t have a problem with RBI.
Currently mobile banking services require opening up a complex bank account, with branches, minimum balance, debit card annual fees etc. Also unless one has a expensive GPRS service, the only transaction possible is checking the account balance and status of a cheque drop.
Reliance m-pay is the closest to a comprehensive banking soultion, but that too requires
having a HDFC credit card (hence cannot serve the masses) I wonder
what is stopping the Airtels and Vodaphone from launching such a
service.
