VoWi-Fi rollout supported by Ericsson equipment
Hong Kong’s SmarTone has launched voice over Wi-Fi services supporting multiple devices using equipment provided by Swedish vendor Ericsson.
SmarTone’s new Wi-Fi calling service allows subscribers to pair up to five personal devices that lack SIM cards to enable operator voice calls via Wi-Fi connections.
Devices including tablets, computers and smart watches, can be located across different Wi-Fi access points, and calls can be transferred to a user’s smartphone. The service also supports multiple simultaneous calls using the same number.
Ericsson is offering an end-to-end VoWi-Fi platform comprising the evolved packet core, IMS, user data management and OSS/BSS.
“We believe the new capability to extend our voice service to devices without a SIM card is adding genuine convenience to our customers,” SmarTone CTO Stephen Chau said.
SmarTone launched commercial LTE services in August 2012. The telco currently offers 4G through spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands.
The telco provides voice, multimedia and mobile broadband services through its 4G and 3G networks, as well as fixed broadband services for the consumer and corporate markets.
Indosat Ooredoo to launch m-payments services in Indonesia
In other APAC news, Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo is collaborating with financial services solution provider GoSwiff International to launch mobile payments in the Indonesian market.
D-Pay is a financial service that gives merchants the freedom to accept mobile payments, allowing their customers to make payments using debit or credit card and via an eWallet.
The D-Pay service transforms merchants’ mobile devices into multifunctional payment platforms, enabling merchants that do not have access to the relevant infrastructure or do not generate sufficient revenue to qualify for traditional point-of-sale services, to accept card payments by shifting to mobile point-of-sale.
“D-Pay is the latest product from our Mobile Financial Business. In addition to our current products – electronic wallet, bill payments, e-commerce payments, domestic and international money transfer and branchless banking, D-Pay will help reduce cash collection and logistics costs for our e-commerce partners, which will in turn benefit customers with lower prices and assured deliveries,” said Prashant Gokarn, chief of new business and innovation officer at Indosat Ooredoo.
“In Indonesia, payment solutions are still in an early stage of growth, as most retailers still use cash for payments or charge customers for credit card use,” Gokarn said. “In addition to e-commerce companies, D-Pay is the answer for small and medium retailers, who need alternative payment methods but their business size makes standard banking solutions expensive.”
