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Tue, 19th Feb 2008  New Delhi: After being a camera, an FM radio, an MP3 player, you mobile phone is now all set become a credit card.
Reliance Communications in association with HDFC bank has launched India's first virtual credit card where the phone number replaces the credit card number
The virtual credit card is called "Reliance mPay Credit Card" will allow its subscribers who also have an HDFC credit card, not to carry plastic to make payments.
Users can pay Reliance Mobile Post paid bill payment, pre-paid top-up, and payment of Reliance Energy monthly electricity bills, and do merchant payments at shops accepting the technology.
The bank will identify its customer with the user's mobile number that will suffice as the credit card number. It will then authenticate the information with RCOM, which will be used to initiate and authorise payments using the customer's mobile phone.
"An HDFC Bank customer can now shop using his Reliance mobile and make payment without disclosing details of his credit card," Rahul Bhagat, country head (retail liabilities), marketing and direct banking channels, HDFC Bank was quoted as saying.
The tie-up is not exclusive and over a period of time other banks and other mobile operators are also expected to launch this facility
The technology has been a great success in countries like South Korea, Japan and Philippines
Reliance mPay services will also offer Reliance mobile post-paid bill payment, prepaid top up and payment of Reliance Energy monthly electricity bills.
It will be extended to allow the customer to book movie tickets, travel tickets, merchant payments at shops, restaurants and shopping on the Internet among others.  | 
