Tele2 Russia announced yesterday the launch of Mobilny platezh (“Mobile payment”), which allows its subscribers to make payments from bank accounts with Visa, Mastercard, JCB International, or Diners Club cards.
For a 3% commission fee, payments can be made via Internet, SMS, or USSD to a number of mobile phone, Wimax and pay TV operators as well as to some land line telephone, Internet service, and natural gas providers.
Most major Russian mobile operators have launched their own payment systems – integrated with bank cards as well – over the last few years. The latest and most universal is VimpelCom’s Ruru. Launched last June, Ruru is available to non-VimpelCom users as well.
A subsidiary of the Swedish-based European telecom group, Tele2 Russia positions itself on the local market as a discount mobile provider. Tele2 Russia is licensed to operate in 43 of Russia’s 83 regions and claims more than 19 million subscribers.
