Slovenia’s Mobitel launches m-commerce system

BUCHAREST, Romania—Slovenian mobile operator Mobitel announced the first Slovenian mobile payment service called Moneta. The system can be used for paying for contents on the Internet, as well as paying for services and products.
Mobitel’s subscribers register via their mobile telephone numbers and receive a short message service (SMS) message with a password that enables use of the system. The procedure resembles the use of credit cards, only in this case, the instrument of payment is the mobile phone.
When Mobitel’s users access payable sites on the Internet—for example, electronic lottery, small ads, financial institutions or insurance companies—a special window opens. The user enters a phone number, and a few moments later, the system answers with an SMS message that contains a password. After the password is entered, the system enables the user to access the site or service.
The service can be used by all subscribers of the Mobitel GSM system who have access to the Internet. Charges will appear once a month on a special bill sent to subscribers along with their regular monthly bill.