Glo Mobile Introduces 4 New Recharge Methods
Telecommunication giant, Glo Mobile is set to revolutionise the Nigerian telecommunication sector as it unfolds plans to roll out four new credit recharge methods for GSM subscribers outside the conventional recharge card scheme. Coming on the heels of the Federal Government's ban on importation of recharge cards, Glo Mobile said the new recharge facilities which it has started test running with the support of its technical partners will enable subscribers to conveniently top up their credit without going out to purchase recharge cards. The recharge options tagged "Multiple Modes of Recharge Facilities" include Electronic Vending of Recharge Codes, Recharging Using Glo Mobile's Magic Plus, Recharging Using Credit Cards and Recharging Using Virtual Top Ups. Under the Electronic Vending of Recharge Codes scheme, Glo Mobile said it will provide recharge vending machines at strategic locations where its subscribers can reload their credit by pressing a button to get a print out of the recharge code for the equivalent value of the money they had given the operator of the vending machine. The subscriber will then load the credit on his Glo line by pressing the 14-digit code contained on the print out with other minor instructions on his handset. Even more revolutionary is the opportunity to recharge through Magic Plus, a unique value added service on the Glo Mobile network. Under this arrangement, Glo Mobile said its subscribers will be able to recharge their credit by using the soon to be launched M-Banking option. "With this facility, the amount requested by the subscriber will be debited from his bank account and credited to his Glo prepaid account, all in the comfort of his home, on his handset", said the statement from the network. Glo Mobile added that it has entered into an arrangement with 16 banks to provide this service to its subscribers, saying "the facility is currently undergoing tests". Glo Mobile also disclosed that it is in the process of tying up with credit (value) card vendors under an arrangement that will enable its subscribers to transfer money from their credit cards to their prepaid accounts as credit on their Glo lines. Another method in the offering which Glo Mobile said it will introduce shortly is the Virtual Top Up which will enable recharge card retailers to directly top up the account of their customers. Enumerating the numerous advantages that will accrue to subscribers using the Virtual Top Up (VTU) option, Glo Mobile said VTU will eliminate the stress of physically looking for recharge cards to buy while there will also be no need for subscribers to enter the 14-digit recharge code. The facility will also avail a subscriber an opportunity to transfer credit from his account to other Glo prepaid customer accounts."This will be very useful, for example, in a case where a father wants to top up the credit of his son", explained the statement by Glo Mobile. Glo Mobile said the VTU option is also pocket-friendly as subscribers can top up with any convenient amount, thereby eliminating the inherent constraint under the recharge card scheme where cards are available only in denominations such as N500, N1000 and N2000. The network also disclosed that the VTU option has an inbuilt security feature, adding that the sender must in each transaction use his Personal Identification Number (PIN). Notifications are sent to both the sender and receiver after each transaction. Glo Mobile further expatiates on how to use VTU: "In order to transfer credit from one account to another such as retailer to customer or customer to customer, all the sender has to do is to dial a pre-designed number, followed by his PIN, the phone number of the person he is transfering the credit to and the value of credit to be transferred. He will receive a message asking for confirmation to go ahead with the transaction. On his confirmation, the credit will be transferred from his account to the receiver's account". The network said the VTU, an electronic transaction, is already gaining popularity in other markets, adding that apart from its convenience to customers, the feature also guarantees complete security to retailers since they will not need to physically guard stocks or move such stocks from one place to another.
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