http://www.finextra.com/news/fullstory.aspx?newsitemid=24535
BlackBerry is preparing to pilot a person-to-person mobile payments service within its BBM instant messaging system in Indonesia.
The BBM Money commercial pilot will let users access an account from their smartphone and make real-time payments from within the messenger app to their contacts who are also signed up to the service. Customers will also be able to buy mobile airtime credit and transfer money to bank accounts.
Having secured approval from Indonesia's central bank, the service - developed by BlackBerry with local financial institution PermataBank and AGIT Monitise Indonesia - the pilot is now imminent, with a full launch expected to follow.
Darren Sugden, CEO, Monitise Asia Pacific, says: "It is incredibly exciting that Indonesia is the first country in the world to develop a person-to-person payment service such as this. This launch is a ringing endorsement for how businesses with different commercial needs can collaborate in the fast-growing mobile, payments and banking space."
Monitise today posted first half revenues of £27.8 million, up 63% on the same period a year ago, although the firm also saw losses widen thanks to its recent acquisition of Clairmail and heavy investment in its platform.
