MUMBAI: Direct-to-home (DTH) operator Tata Sky has collaborated with payments technology firm Visa that will allow its subscribers to recharge their account through a unique QR code-based mobile payment solution, powered by mVisa.
Tata Sky subscribers can recharge their account by scanning the QR code using their mobile phones directly from the TV screen or online on mytatasky.com.
Visa Group country manager, India and South Asia TR Ramachandran said, “Visa is focused on digital innovation to accelerate the development of next-generation platforms and solutions that will shape digital commerce. mVisa enables secure, digital commerce through the mobile phone, which today has become the single point of access to technology for consumers. The mVisa solution for Tata Sky subscribers will cater to a large user base across India; we will continue to build more such use cases across online and offline channels to accelerate the adoption digital payments.”
Tata Sky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal said, “One of our most important pillars of business at Tata Sky is that innovation has to be simple and easy to use for all. Convenience to use any new technology is the key to ensuring its mass utility and success. We believe mVisa will help subscribers across India with this payment solution from the comfort of their homes.”
As an introductory offer, subscribers will get 50% additional credit up to a maximum of Rs 200 on recharge using mVisa. This offer can be availed three times in a calendar month.
India is currently the second-largest smartphone market in the world, with over a billion smartphones expected to be sold in the next five years. The increasing popularity and adoption of mobile devices presents a huge opportunity for the growth of mobile-based digital commerce. The mVisa payment solution on Tata Sky will empower over 17 million subscribers spread across Indian cities, towns and villages, to make payments without having to use cash, debit or credit cards and from the comfort of their homes.
In order to make payments, customers simply need to open their bank’s mobile application, select the mVisa option, which will activate their smartphone’s camera. The unique QR code on the TV screen will prompt for the payment amount, followed by entering the mPIN, to complete the transaction.
It is a card-less solution that facilitates payments by scanning the merchant/service provider’s QR code. Subscribers can also log on to mytatasky.com and recharge their account online using the mVisa payment option.
India is the first market globally where mVisa has been introduced to support the migration from cash to electronic commerce. mVisa is available on the following apps—Axis Bank Mobile Banking App, Bank of Baroda M CLIP App, Bank of India mVisaApp, Pockets by ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank PayZapp and State Bank Anywhere App. Any bank’s mVisa customer can transact on any mVisa merchant.