Zain launches mobile wallet service in Jordan

Zain Group announced the launch of ‘Zain E-mal’ mobile wallet service, a mobile commerce service delivery platform. Initially launched to Zain customers in Jordan, the company will roll it out across its other Middle East operations during 2011.

Zain is the first mobile operator in the Middle East to launch a mobile commerce service of this magnitude, as ‘Zain E-mal’ gives Zain customers – prepaid and postpaid – an array of tools and solutions for many financial transactions. In the first phase of its launch, they include:

• Cash-in and Cash-out: Depositing and withdrawing money from their m-wallet
• Money transfer: Transferring money from one m-wallet to another m-wallet. The receiver could be either registered or non-registered with the service
• Bill payments: Using the m-wallet to settle any Zain customer bills whether it is their bill or others
• Airtime top-up: Using the m-wallet to recharge talk time on any Zain customer account

Later development phases of ‘Zain E-mal’ will see the service expand in scope to include payments at shopping outlets, bank transfers and more.

The launch of this service follows on from the successful roll-out of Zain’s ‘Zap’ mobile commerce service across Africa.