Now, JioPhone users can make UPI payments: Here's how
What's the story
In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, millions of Indians, including small business owners, have started transacting digitally. Now, to push this effort forward and make the digital payment ecosystem more inclusive, Reliance Jio is offering the Government of India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to JioPhone users. Here is all you need to know about it.
Issue
UPI still not mainstream on feature phones
Unlike smartphones, feature phones such as Reliance's JioPhone do not offer a wide range of UPI payment solutions to send money or pay bills. This keeps many low-income people owning these affordable devices from carrying out day-to-day transactions/transfers. The problem is so huge that out of a billion UPI transactions recorded every month, not even a million are from feature phones.
Jio Pay
Jio Pay coming as a solution
A few months ago, it was reported that Reliance was working with the National Payments Corporation of India to launch a UPI-powered version of its Jio Pay app on JioPhone - the affordable 4G feature phone it had launched in July 2017. Now, BGR India reports, that app has started rolling out as part of a limited public test.
Features
Same features from smartphones to be on offer
As screenshots shared by BGR show, Jio Pay carries all the key features seen in standard smartphone-based UPI apps. You will be able to verify your number, add an account, and use that account for instantly sending and receiving any amount to dedicated UPI ID or bank account. There is also an NFC-powered Tap & Pay feature and an option to check transaction history.
Availability
Available to over 1,000 JioPhone connections
The outlet says, the UPI-enabled Jio Pay app is being rolled out to a little over 1,000 JioPhone connections, to begin with. The company is said to be preparing for a wider roll-out "very soon" but there is no specific date as of now. Notably, it has already tested the feature internally for more than a year.