Etisalat Group last week inked a strategic agreement to offer Western Union Co.’s Mobile Money Transfer service in the 18 countries where it the Dubai-based mobile operator operates.
After the agreement is operational, Etisalat’s subscribers would be able to send and receive Western Union funds transfers using mobile-wallet accounts tied to their mobile phones, a spokesperson for the operator tells PaymentsSource.
“Our subscribers would be able to send funds from their mobile phones to more than 400,000 international Western Union agent locations in 200 countries, where receivers would be able to get a cash payout,” he says.
Information about the fees charged for the service was not available.
In addition, Etisalat subscribers would be able to send funds to other mobile subscribers who are registered for the service, he adds. Users of the service also would be able to use the funds transferred to their wallets to pay bills, top up mobile airtime, transfer them to other users of the service, or withdraw them at a Western Union agent or at any participating ATM.
Etisalat currently operates across Asia, Middle East, and North Africa where it has around 135 million customers.
U.S.-based Western Union offers the Mobile Money Transfer Service in the Philippines with Smart Communications and Globe Telecom Inc; in Kenya with Safaricom Ltd.; in Malaysia with Maxis Communications Bhd.; and in Canada with EnStream LP.
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