Credit card launched by mobile network operator



Mobile network operator mobilkom austria has launched a credit card, in conjunction with its wholly-owned bank and Visa Europe, that provides a range of mobile services.



The A1 Visa card is issued by Al Bank – mobilkom austria’s own bank – and enables users to collect points for a new A1 mobile phone, as well as providing transaction confirmation and answering queries via SMS. This means that after each transaction, cardholders receive a text message showing the amount and the receiver of the payment. In addition, A1 Visa cardholders are entitled to a mobile insurance package.



Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO of mobilkom austria and Telekom Austria, said the mobile network operator is the first player to offer its clients a combination of a classic finance product and mobile services.



Kurt Tojner, country manager for Visa Europe Austria, said: “We are happy to offer an innovative payment solution in co-operation with A1 that will provide users with a combination of mobile communication services and the large Visa retail network. This will open up the way to the development of mobile payment solutions, such as the use of Visa’s payWave wireless technology.”



Ametsreiter added that the co-operation between mobilkom austria and Visa Europe opens up many opportunities for new synergies. “The next step could be to integrate the A1 Visa card into the next generation of NFC-enabled mobile phones, thus creating a wireless payment method. The result will be an entirely new form of safe and convenient cashless mobile payment,” said Ametsreiter.

Issue: 2009/16 Date: 17 Sep 2009