Telenor Pakistan, a subsidiary of Norwegian telecommunications company, is outlining plans to introduce an online payment solution, and is keen to launch the service during the year 2014.
With the launch of first online payments gateway for the country, the company is looking to tap the potential e-commerce market that currently follows cash-on-delivery model, wherein the consumer pays for the product upon its delivery.
Earlier in 2009, Telenor had forayed into unexplored mobile banking industry in Pakistan through Easypaisa, which currently accounts to $3bn, a 1% of the country’s gross domestic product in transactions, since its launch.
Telenor Pakistan CMO, Irfan Wahab Khan, told The Express Tribune that the company is working on an online payment gateway that would be available to Easypaisa mobile account holders and linked with 1Link – the ATM-based interbank payment network.
Telenor Pakistan, meanwhile, is introducing third generation (3G) mobile internet services in May 2014, and is hopeful of leveraging the service to drive its online payments business.
Following the launch of online payment gateway, Pakistan will be on par with its neighbouring countries including India and Nepal that have access to real-time payment systems such as PayPal, Google Checkout, Authorize.Net and Amazon Payments.
