VODAFONE Clarifies Customer Registration

 

“We launched our M-PAiSA service more than a month ago and so had designed the registration forms, which included information required by the Reserve Bank under its “Know Your Customer” (KYC) requirements well in advance of the Phone Decree,” Vodafone’s Chief Operating Officer, Pradeep Lal, said.  

 

“However, with the issuing of the Phone Service Decree which calls for compulsory registrations Vodafone has now merged the M-PAiSA form with the phone registration process.  This has been done because the information required for phone registration is almost identical to what is required for M-PAiSA.”

 

“I must stress that it is the customer who decides whether they would like to register their phones only as required under the phone decree or if they would also like to register for M-PAiSA, which also meets their phone registration requirement.  This option is provided in the registration form for the customer to choose.  We have received approval from the Minister of Communications and the Telecom Authority of Fiji to use the combined M-PAiSA and customer registration registration form that is now being used by our staff and agents.”

 

Customers who choose to register for M-PAiSA need only answer two additional questions; one on gender and the other if the customer currently has a savings account. An estimated 61% (UNDP) percent of Fiji’s population still remain un-banked. By collecting the information on gender and the un-banked, Vodafone is working with UNDP to see how the use of technology can assist the poor, particularly women and those in rural areas for greater financial inclusion.  This is the reason why these questions are being asked in the M-PAiSA registration process. These statistics will also help Reserve Bank to better target its micro-finance scheme as part of greater financial inclusion program.

 

The M-PAiSA service is highly regarded by the government and Reserve Bank as the one of the most cost effective means to greater financial inclusion and to providing better banking and financial services to the rural and the poor.  The Governor of the Bank is quoted in the Fiji Times today as saying “that a recent report by ADB exposed that Fiji currently has no standardised reporting format for micro-finance.”

 

There is no fee for registration into the M-PAiSA service and also there are in no other types of monthly account management charges. The customer only pays for the transactions they conduct using the M-PAiSA which is much cheaper and safer than using the traditional money transfer service.

 

Mr.Lal went on to reassure customers of the integrity of their processes and security of customers’ information. 

 

“We are bound by the Telecommunications Act to protect the privacy of our customers and we take customer confidentiality very seriously.  Vodafone does not share customer information with any other party, unless required to by law through a court order or by warrant.”

 

“Our staff is aware of, and fully understand, our policy on the importance of maintaining customer confidentiality.  Maintaining the integrity of customer information is important no only to the customer, but also to our reputation as a trusted local company that has been in operation for 16 years.”  

 

Mr. Lal urged those who still had doubts to call their toll free customer care lines, 124 for Prepay and 125 for Postpay.