I was selected to try out the Singtel-Nets Mobile Payment trial using the Nokia 6131 NFC (Near field Communications) mobile phone. It was held yesterday at the Ang Mo Kio Hub from 2pm to 5pm.
There was a long queue when we arrived about 2.20pm because the demo area was small and we had to wait for the staff to explain how the system works. Refreshments were provided.
We get to use the phone for 6 months free and get to keep it if we do 2 nets transactions per week. We were told that there are 500 shops that have the mNets facility in Singapore. The phone line also comes with 100min of free talk time, 500 free sms and free incoming calls.
The phone works like a cash card. You first have to top up the stored cash value by connecting to the service using GPRS. The menus are in the phone. For this trial, the top up is done using the UOB-Singtel credit card. Minimum top-up value is $20.
You can also download discount vouchers to your phone. We were given 2 free Begawan Solo 'kuehs' voucher a few discount vouchers. To download the vouchers, you need to put the phone near a cardboard voucher the size of a credit card. This can be found at the shops itself but there were a few at the reception area for us to test.
We tried out the voucher at Begawan Solo. You need to log on with you pin on the phone and go through several menus to look for the voucher before you can use it. This took some time and its not convenient. But since its in your phone, you won't forget to bring it along and you don't have to carry around a stack of vouchers.
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