The FrontlineSMS:Credit team is excited to announce that the public beta version of our new software product, PaymentView, is now available for use in Kenya! PaymentView is a mobile money management tool that makes it easy for organizations and businesses serving the base of the pyramid to use mobile money. The software enables any organization – including those in rural areas with limited internet access – to turn a computer plus a USB modem into a hub for using and managing mobile money.
PaymentView is an extension to FrontlineSMS, meaning that as well as new payments functionality it includes all of the benefits of the core SMS communication platform, such as easy communication with staff members or clients and the ability to send reminders and auto-replies. The public beta release version is configured to work with Safaricom’s M-Pesa system in Kenya, and can support any SMS or STK-based payment service with a bit of software development.
The beta version of PaymentView is already being implemented to:
- Enable microfinance borrowers to repay loans via mobile phone to rural microfinance branches
- Expand the availability of an innovative family savings/life insurance product
- Pay salaries for laborers constructing rural renewable energy projects and farm workers
- Help small businesses operate more efficiently
Since FrontlineSMS:Credit's last update, the team have been working to bring on a variety of testers, including an agricultural information provider that is collecting subscription fees for market information services, and a research project that is disbursing financial incentives to intervention assistants.
At present, PaymentView is not a full release but a ‘beta’ release, which means it is in a testing stage of development. We are currently seeking organizations in Kenya that want to partner with us to test the software. You can visit the FrontlineSMS:Credit software page to download PaymentView, and get access to the user guide to help you get started. We are also offering some free user support via the FrontlineSMS user forum; you can sign up for a forum account and join the Mobile Money group to connect with others interested in PaymentView and mobile money. If you have a technical support question, please read through our FAQs first. If you do not find what you are looking for, post your question on the user forum and we will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible, and generally within 24 hours.
This launch is the start of many exciting things to come for FrontlineSMS:Credit. We are continuing work on our next software release, which can support any mobile payment system (with a bit of software development), enabling organizations to adapt PaymentView for use anywhere in the world. Later this year, we’ll be building a more powerful version of the software that will focus on using FrontlineSMS for managing mobile money accounts, airtime accounts, and mobile vouchers all from one interface.
To access the beta of PaymentView software, and to find out more visit FrontlineSMS:Credit's website. If you are based outside of Kenya and wish to use PaymentView, you can join the FrontlineSMS our mailing list to receive updates. We would also love to hear your feedback, bith on the software and our future plans! Send us an email at info@credit.frontlinesms.com to let us know what you think, or to give suggestions for features you’d like to see in future releases.