Canada Telecoms Launch Mobile Payment Service 107
GregDz11 writes to inform us that Canada's three main wireless companies will be launching a service that allows customers to send, request, and receive money via their mobile phones. "The service, called Zoompass, will be managed by Enstream, a joint venture the three carriers first established in 2005, when it was called Wireless Payment Services, to investigate the potential of mobile commerce. [...] Money can be drawn from an account the user sets up or from their credit card. Each withdrawal will cost 50 cents from the account, or 3.5 per cent of the transaction if from a credit card. (As a result, sending dollar amounts under $15 are actually cheaper to do using a credit card.)"
Re:Overpriced (Score:1, Informative)
The receiver would pay that amount. This is no different than credit card/interac, who's standard fees are ~2.5% and $0.20 respectively.
Re:mobile is where it's at (Score:4, Informative)
Computers still fill up entire rooms!
In fact, supercomputers seem to be getting bigger:
http://domino.research.ibm.com/comm/pr.nsf/pages/rsc.bluegene_2004.html [ibm.com] (Blue Gene/L, 2004)
http://www.chilton-computing.org.uk/ccd/literature/ccd_annual_reports/p002.htm [chilton-computing.org.uk] (Cray X/MP, 1986)
Free? (Score:1, Informative)
How come, when I was in Japan, I could use such a system without any fees? I know, it didn't work exactly the same way but it offered the same advantages and fast payment.
Re:mobile is where it's at (Score:4, Informative)
If you call them (*611, free call)and complain that when you start your phone's web browser it goes to their homepage automatically, thus charging you 2 cents, when you really want to get to a 3rd party site. So in effect, a 3rd party site costs 12 cents: 10 for the 3rd party site, plus 2 to view thier homepage. You do not have the ability to change your homepage.
Ask them to just "block all partner sites". They will tell you that is not possible. Ask them to change your homepage to something else, or just not load anything at all. Agian, they will tell you that is not possible. Tell them that you are "fed up with telus nickel and dimeing you to death and that you *will not hang up until this issue is resolved*. 2 managers later, and I got a nice, permanent, perk.
Re:Overpriced (Score:5, Informative)
You're getting hosed.
I use president's choice financial. Interac usage is free, as is the use of any CIBC bank machine (including the little ones in 7-11 stores). There is still a charge to take out cash from bank machines not owned by CIBC.
Official site (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.zoompass.com/ [zoompass.com]
Re:Overpriced (Score:3, Informative)
Interact is ~$0.05 - $0.08
Credit cards are 1.65%-1.9% unless you are high risk.
You need to shop around and negotiate.
How fast do they pay? What are the charge back fees? Can an item be contested? What are the terminal fees/requirements? .....
Re:mobile is where it's at (Score:4, Informative)
Android/wifi/skype pls hrrythfckup.
Try Sipdroid on Android. I think you'll find that it solves the problem somewhat nicely. It's not perfect, but then nothing ever is.