Share phone credit by text message

In the Philippines, text messaging has caught on in a huge way. Two years ago, according to Pyramid Research, the Southeast Asian archipelago became the first nation on the planet where network providers saw revenues from text messaging exceed what users spent on voice. With its Share-A-Load programme, Philippine network provider Globe Telecom has capitalized on the local love of SMS messages by allowing its customers to send their phone credit (or ‘load’) to someone else. Globe charges PHP 1 or about US .024 for each transaction, making its service an easy way for parents to send money to their children, for example, to make sure they’re able to stay in touch. Both prepaid and postpaid subscribers can share their airtime or mobile wallet by typing in an amount and their pin code, and sending it to a 4 digit-number followed by the recipient’s mobile number. Upon receipt, the both recipient and sender receive a confirmation by text message. SMS remains a technology with lots of potential applications waiting to be discovered and implemented—for everything from payment systems to information on demand. Given the mobile network operators’ strong desire to maximize profits, a good idea from a start-up has an excellent chance of getting heard. Spotted by: Jo-An Chua