Mobile Payments
Despite a somewhat chequered history, mobile payments
are now experiencing a resurgence, yet it remains
unclear for many companies how they should approach this
nascent industry.
Mobile payments can offer numerous benefits to all
involved stakeholders. They offer the potential to be a
convenient payment tool for end users, displace
expensive cash and paper, drive airtime and data usage,
leverage and drive volume through existing payment
assets, foster innovation, as well as having the
potential to serve the migrant and un/underbanked
markets.
However, the path to mass-market acceptance in mobile
payments is burdened with significant obstacles. The
success for many business models will require
collaboration between industries that have not
previously worked together on a shared platform.
Contactless/NFC-enabled payments involve a range of
players including mobile network operators, card
networks, and banks, representing a complex network of
relationships and interests. Further, a single player
will simply not have the volumes necessary to make
mobile proximity payments a reality.
While NFC technology may still have a way to go before
reaching critical mass in Europe, there are, however, other types of mobile payment models that seem to
be gaining momentum. Digital content downloads to
mobile devices have already become a profitable success
in the UK.
Banks are driving client traffic through the mobile
channel by offering convenient and innovative services
such as peer to peer payments via smartphone
applications. Telecom operators have begun allowing
customers to charge mobile purchases to their monthly
phone bill. Still other retailers are investing in
their mobile WAP sites in order to increase m-commerce
revenue.
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Complementing
its expertise across the payment systems sector,
PSE has strong business and technical experience
in the mobile telecom industry having worked for
the major mobile telecom operators and handset
manufacturers. Below are some of the most
recent assignments where we have supported
clients on their mobile payments strategy: |
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An assessment
of the global mobile payments landscape and
detailed analysis of existing international
mobile payment models that could be rolled out
in Europe |
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An assessment
of the mobile payment and banking landscape and
analysis of 50+ mobile payment and banking
software applications |
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A platform
review and market assessment for a new entrant
mobile payments service provider in Europe |
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An M&A
review of new mobile payments technology
companies for a global handset manufacturer |
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A review and
assessment of the market for mobile top-up and
similar services within the UK and European
markets |
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A global
review of the technical potential of 200
suppliers in the mobile and interactive services
space |
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