What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you hear the word UPI payment? A smartphone and a stable internet connection, right? Well, not anymore. It was on Tuesday that the Reserve Bank Of India (RBI) launched a new digital payment method- UPI for feature phones, i.e., UPI 123Pay.
At present, UPI payment is limited just to smartphone users. However, with the introduction of UPI payment for feature phones, people not having smartphones can also be included in the mainstream digital payment.
“The goal behind UPI payment for feature phones is to promote financial inclusion in our country”, said RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das further added to deepen the digital payment methods, it is proposed to
- Launch UPI payments for feature phones
- Simplify the process for small value transactions through an “on-device” wallet in UPI applications
- Enhance the transaction limit for UPI payments from Rs. 2,00,000 to Rs. 5,00,000.
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How would UPI Payment for feature phones work?
UPI123Pay is a step towards the future of digital payments. It would help users make transactions without the internet and through their feature phones. However, the scan and pay option won’t be available in the UPI payment for feature phones, but the rest of the options would be the same.
With UPI123Pay, users can make payments, recharge FASTags, pay utility bills and check their account balance linked with UPI. And not just that, the new feature also allows you to set or change your UPI pins. A 24×7 helpline has also been established by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to help the users with any kind of support they need for 123Pay. Users can simply visit “www.digisaathi.info” or dial 14431 or 18008913333 and clear their doubts or queries regarding digital payments.
Users simply need to link their bank accounts with the feature phone to start using the UPI123Pay. The various payment options include person-to-person person-to-merchant. Initially, users can expect Hindi and English language in UPI123Pay.
The UPI123Pay would allow users to make transactions in four different ways-
- Through missed call
- Via app functionality in feature phones
- Calling an interactive voice response (IVR)
- And through proximity sound-based payments.
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How to make digital payments through UPI 123Pay using the IVR service?
Interactive voice response (IVR) is the easiest way to make payments through UPI123Pay.
- Just dial “08045163666” from your phone.
- Choose your preferred language.
- Press the “1” key on your phone to transfer money.
- Select the bank by saying the bank’s name in which your account is linked.
- Press 1 to confirm the details.
- Press 1 to send money using your mobile number.
- Now, enter the mobile number.
- Next, confirm the details.
- Finally, enter the amount that you want to transfer.
- And lastly, enter your UPI Pin to authorize the money transfer.
Why is there a need for UPI payments for feature phones?
In recent years, UPI payments witnessed a dramatic growth in their usage. It is the most commonly used payment method in India, thus making it the single most extensive retail payment system in the country.
UPI payment for feature phones has come on the floor after rigorous successful pilot tests. The idea is simple, to make transactions simple for small and mid-scale consumers and vendors who are deprived of smartphone usage.
RBI Governor T Rabi Sankar said, “We have been growing impressively in digital payments, yet a large part of digitization is limited just to the smartphone users. Feature phone users are above 40 crores, the aim is to bring them under the gambit of UPI payment method.”
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Engineer by Degree, Writer by Profession. I have tried my hands on different genre of writing only to end up finding technology to be my forte.