To reach the developing and emerging markets, NEM will need mobile SMS functionality.
CoinPip is working on this.
http://www.coinpip.comquote##
Singapore-based payment processor CoinPip is introducing new payment options, allowing anyone in the world to send coins via SMS.
It integrates seamlessly with the ‘SMSwallet’ system developed by US-based 37coins, which itself is aimed at developing and emerging markets where access to smartphone and desktop PC apps is limited.
It allows consumers to pay in bitcoin via any CoinPip Merchant POS from any mobile device with SMS functionality.
Anson Zeall, co-founder of CoinPip, is planning to expand across Hong Kong and Indonesia within the next month or so.
His company’s vision is to make bitcoin
and other digital currencies as safe and easy-to-use as any other form of money. He also has sights set on other regions in Southeast Asia where 3G mobile connections are limited, adding:
“The mobile market in Southeast Asia is massive but the usage of smartphones is still lagging. So QR code scanning is not that useful. Thus the collaboration with 37coins is going to make payments more convenient for everyone else.”
To begin using a 37coins bitcoin SMS wallet, mobile users simply need to visit
www.37coins.com and enter a mobile number in countries where the service has been launched.
Once confirmed, the gateway can then be opened by anyone from any location and users can send and receive bitcoin from anywhere with mobile access.
CoinPip also recently launched an online API for merchants that want to accept bitcoin online and uploaded its merchant POS app to the Google Play store.
CoinPip Merchant allow merchants in some Southeast Asia region countries to accept bitcoins, and receive in their local currency. Instant exchange is available in Hong Kong and Singapore, while an on-demand exchange is available for an extra fee in Australia, China (ex Hong Kong), Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. CoinPip has plans to add more countries soon.
Where instant exchange is available, bitcoins are converted to local currency and deposited into merchants’ bank accounts daily. Users can track orders using their CoinPip account online and view transactions on an Android device. It also allows businesses to refund customers in bitcoin or local currency as required.
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*Why not NEM? Let's work with him to add it.New SMS Bitcoin Service Aims at Emerging Markets
http://www.coindesk.com/new-sms-bitcoin-service-aims-emerging-markets/Kipochi integrated with Kenya-based mobile payments provider M-Pesa to allow its users to send and receive bitcoins before converting them to local currency. If you send money with your mobile number to someone, a wallet gets created in the background and you can just access it. So, there's no sign-up.
How Kipochi is Taking Bitcoin into Africa
http://www.coindesk.com/kipochi-taking-bitcoin-africa/Bitcoin via SMS is here -Bits launches pay-by-text sms offering for bitcoins.
http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-via-sms-is-here/