One of Ghana's leading mobile wireless service providers, SMSGH has introduced another revolutionary service to expand the frontiers of electronic payments in the country.
The company's new Mpower mPOS App in the Google Play Store (Android) allows merchants to accept electronic payment from varied platforms including Visa cards, MasterCard, other debit and credit cards, mobile money and even with the internationally acclaimed Paypal, all on one phone connected to the portable mPOS device.
Currently, merchants like shops, restaurants, hotels and others who receive electronic payment have had to acquire expensive point of sale (POS) devices from banks at over US$500 for each POS.
They need separate POSs for Visa Card, for MasterCard, and for other e-cards; and where mobile money payments are allowed, the merchant also needs to have mobile money accounts for all networks and all that come at a cost to the merchant. After incurring that cost, the merchant also pay fees to the banks for the use of the POSs. But Senior Product Manager for MPOS, Peter Bubune Adih told Adom News with MPOS the merchant needs only an ordinary Android phone because the App download is free, the MPOS device is also free and there is a hand-held Bluetooth receipt printer for free as well
. "The only time we charge the merchant is when you do a transaction and that is just three per cent of the transaction you do," he said. He explained that after downloading the mpower mPOS App, the device is then connected to the phone via that jack where the earpiece is connected and the system is ready for use. "There are slots on the mPOS device for swiping and or inserting electronic cards to effect payment, and the menu also come with all mobile money platforms to enable mobile money payments as well," he said. Adih said current current three mobile money services are on the platform and work is far advanced to bring Vodafone cash on board, adding that soon there will also be an iOS version of the App for IPhones as well.
The Bluetooth hand-held printer, he said, allows the merchant to print put receipts for every payment made, and that also comes for free. He said currently the system is being used in a few pharmacy shops and other merchant points in Accra, adding that soon it will be spread wide for many more people to benefit. "This is more affordable and convenient and it will help reduce long queues in shops faster and also assure easy payment even to the last pesewa without having to waste more time looking for change for customers," he said.
Adih said mPOS is like carrying your own cash register to receive payments any and everywhere, and it is safe as well because unlike cash payments, mPOS can trace every pesewa of every transaction and tell the merchant exactly where the money is. It is also convenient and safe for the customer because it is run on the mpower Payment platform which is internationally certified as a safe and secure platform.
Source: http://africabusinesscommunities.com/news/ghana-smsgh-launches-integrated-e-payment-system.html