Grameenphone, the largest telecom operator in the country has re-launched it’s wallet service with the new brand name ‘GPAY’ – which enables users to avail GP’s existing range of payment services digitally, said a press release send to Future Startup.
GPAY will allow users to pay different utility bills, buy train tickets, FlexiLoad to their own or other GP numbers and perform wallet refill from bank accounts and or MobiCash outlets.
The launching ceremony was held on October 24 at the Westin Dhaka. Grameenphone high officials including Erwan Gelebart, Head of Mobile Financial Services, and Mahmud Hossain, Chief Corporate Affairs officer along with other senior officials were present at the launching ceremony. Other guests from Utility Companies, Partner banks and media were also present on the occasion.
For now, customers can refill their GPAY Wallets from nearby MobiCash retail outlets or from selected GPAY partner bank accounts that include DBBL Rocket Mobile Banking Account, AB Bank core banking account, and Islami Bank mCash account or internet banking. They can also refill their wallets from any Grameenphone Center.
“With the advent of GPAY, customers will not have to stand in long queues for paying their utility bills or buying train tickets. Instead, they will be able to do it 24/7 from anywhere just with a tap of their finger. GPAY has the largest biller portfolio with 14 utility companies and it is quickly expanding across the country. Bangladesh strongly needs a cashless ecosystem in the context of Digital Bangladesh vision. As a digital service provider, Grameenphone’s rebranded GPAY Wallet / app will take Bangladesh one step forward towards digitized citizen-centric services for the mass population especially of the deep rural inhabitants,” said Erwan Gelebart, Head of Mobile Financial Services of Grameenphone.
Customers can open a GPAY Wallet by dialing USSD *777#, or downloading mobile application from Google Playstore, or just by typing ‘Reg’ and sending SMS to 1200 or through MobiCash outlets.
However, the GPAY app needs internet connection for usage and GP subscribers’ data usage for the application will be free. For the Trust Account, treasury management, and regulatory reporting, GP has partnered with Standard Chartered Bank .
GP has been investing heavily in digital services in the recent years. It has a music streaming app called GP Music, Lifestyle content app Wowbox, a video streaming service called Bioscope, three ecommerce and marketplace initiatives called kidorkar, GP shop and ekhanei.com. It has a digital health service called Tonic under Telenor health.
GP has previously expressed its ambition to become a digital service provider in Bangladesh. With its growing digital services base, the company is slowly moving towards that goal. With GPAY, the company will easily be able to get into mobile banking business if the government allows Telecom operators to get into the sector.
