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The number of Telecash agents and merchants that have signed up with Telecel now stands at more than 3,000, almost double the number that had been registered when Telecash was launched at the end of January, mobile operator Telecel has said.
“When the mobile money transfer service was launched less than four months ago, there were 1,600 registered Telecash agents and merchants. This number increased by more than a thousand within two months and has continued rising since then,” Telecel said.
It said the visibility of Telecash agents and merchants had also increased as Telecash signs displaying the agent’s or merchant’s Telecash number continue to spring up in different places in towns, cities, growth points and business centres all over the country.
Immediately after Telecash was launched, its visibility was low due largely to anxieties on the part of some agents over reports that another mobile phone network was refusing to allow its agents to become agents for other networks. Some were reluctant, as a result, to be seen acting for Telecash as well as another mobile money service provider.
However, once that issue was resolved, following the intervention of the Reserve Bank, which made it clear that it was not permissible for any network to restrict agents from becoming agents of other networks unless an exceptional case could be made for doing so, the number and visibility of Telecash agents and merchants grew rapidly.
Telecel said agents can register new Telecash subscribers and that they accept Telecash deposits and permit Telecash account withdrawals. If they are suppliers of goods or services, they also allow those goods and services to be purchased using Telecash.
A Telecash merchant does not register Telecash subscribers and may not take deposits or allow withdrawals. However, the merchant allows goods and services to be purchased using Telecash.
Telecash allows its subscribers to use their mobile phone to transfer money to anyone with a mobile phone, regardless of the network of the beneficiary. It also allows them to pay for the goods and services of merchants registered with Telecash using their mobile phone and telecash account. — BH24
derick.khumalo