Digicel Launches World's First Biometric Identification System For International Money Transfers

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Digicel Pacific Limited, a mobile network operator across the Pacific and a division of Digicel Group, today announced it is deploying biometric enabled payment systems into stores in New Zealand to offer its Digicel Mobile Money customers a more convenient way to send money home to the Pacific.

The new system enables customers sending money home to register just once and record their fingerprint as permanent identification within the Digicel system.  From that point on, existing customers simply scan their fingerprint at the VeriFone terminal to retrieve their details and make a new transaction - even if they registered at another store.   

Regulators in New Zealand require that photo ID is recorded each time an international money transfer is made in order to satisfy Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.  The new fingerprint technology avoids the need for customers to provide identification each time they transact which means no forms to fill in and less time spent at the counter. 

Darren McLean, Regional Commercial Director at Digicel Pacific, said; "KYC is an important requirement, but it takes time and means that customers must bring photo ID with them every time they want to send money.  We set out to deliver a service that dramatically improved the speed and convenience for our customers and I am delighted that we have achieved our objective.  Our new service is now the fastest way to send money to the Pacific."

"When you add in Bill Payments, Top Up, the speed and the lowest send money fees in the market, we have a very smart product that addresses a real need in the community.  This month, we also provided shops in Tonga with VeriFone contactless payment terminals so families can use their transfers instantly to buy groceries, pay bills, or top up – they don't have to travel to get their money out anymore.  We believe our service will completely transform how our customers send money home," he continued.

Digicel Mobile Money (DMM) is a service in use in five countries in the Pacific.  It turns a subscriber's mobile phone into a wallet, enabling them to store money, send money to each other, pay bills and top up with airtime.  Last year Digicel launched a web-based extension to the service to enable customers in New Zealand and Australia to instantly send money home to Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. 

Earlier this month Digicel announced that it had partnered with VeriFone mWallet to introduce Beep and Go, the world's first fully inclusive NFC service in the Kingdom of Tonga.  Using NFC tags linked to mobile numbers and contactless payment devices, Digicel customers are able to pay for goods with a simple tap of their phone at 50 merchants in the capital of Nuku'alofa. 

For further information please contact:
Annie Smith, Head of Mobile Financial Services at Digicel Pacific, +679 701 5736

ABOUT DIGICEL (www.digicelpacific.com)

Digicel Pacific Limited (Digicel) is a Mobile Network Operator across six markets in the Pacific and part of Digicel Group. Digicel Group has over 12 million customers across its 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific.

Since its launch in the Pacific in November 2006, Digicel has become the fastest-growing mobile operator in the Pacific, with current operations in Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

ABOUT DIGICEL MOBILE MONEY (www.digicelmobilemoney.com)

With Digicel Mobile Money you can Send Money or Top Up to any Digicel phone in Samoa, Tonga or Fiji. You can even pay bills back home from your armchair in NZ or Australia.  It only takes a few clicks to deposit money using internet banking and you can transfer back home instantly. Plus the low fees and great exchange rates mean that you save money or your family gets more.  Digicel has more agents in Samoa, Tonga and Fiji so there are more places to collect or spend money. Receivers can buy Top Up, pay bills or make purchases all from their Digicel phone.

ABOUT KLICKEX

KlickEx Corporation provides currency exchange services for mobile network operators and banks, with a specific focus on personal remittances. It's web and mobile wallet services, encompassing Send Money, Top-Up and Bill Pay, are delivered to and through partners and provide low cost, fast, secure and convenient remittance services for people sending money across borders to family and friends.

SOURCE Digicel Pacific Limited