Prepaid International Forum (PIF) India, a
prepaid industry trade association, has changed its admission
policy to admit mobile operators among its members.

In a statement PIF has acknowledged “the
important role mobile operators play in the prepaid market in
India”.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

The body said that according to a recent
report by Total System Services (TSYS) the ubiquity of mobile
phones in rural India provides financial institutions with an
attractive alternative to expensive infrastructure
improvements.

The report by TSYS stated that more than 70%
of India’s population live in rural areas with limited or no access
to basic banking services and that a third of the 800 million
mobile phone subscribers in India live in rural areas. 

PIF said apart form the potential impact on
e-commerce, the increased mobile penetration in India opens up new
possibilities for mobile payments at POS and other payment services
such as international remittances.

According to Robert Courtneidge, PIF Chairman,
the decision will bring an important new perspective to PIF India
“through an increased focus on the integration of prepaid and
mobile solutions and attention to the role of mobile operators in
the prepaid value chain. 

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“It will also allow the forum to further
promote the role of emerging payment solutions”, he added.

According to Jupiter Research the global
mobile payments market could reach USD670 billion by 2015, but
mobile payments have particular relevance in a market like India
where consumers are already familiar with the prepaid model.

In recent years PIF India’s membership has
been extended to include non-bank players, card schemes and
technology solution providers.