Electronic reloading
Encyclopedia
In a prepaid mobile phone, topping-up or reloading is needed to further enjoy the services offered by the operator
. There are a lot of options on how to reload a prepaid mobile phone
. The most popular process is through purchasing a prepaid card but due to security precautions, electronic reloading was developed.
by Smart Communications
branding the service as SmartLoad and considered to be the world's first electronic reloading service. The service offered micro top-ups meaning prepaid subscribers can top-up prepaid credits with small denominations. The service gained popularity and soon after other service providers also used the technology in offering prepaid top-ups to its subscribers.
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s to be keyed in.
Any person can be a retailer since service providers are selling these retailer SIM cards without any additional contracts. Because of this scenario, reloading stations are popping up like mushrooms especially in the Philippines where every block of the city and even in most remotest areas in the provinces have reloading stations.
. A menu for reloading is added onto the machine and can be used by any person with an ATM card. The denomination reloaded to a prepaid mobile phone is deducted from the bank account balance of the ATM card used.
Mobile network operator
A mobile network operator , also known as mobile phone operator , carrier service provider , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, or cellular company, or mobile network carrier is a telephone company that provides services for mobile phone subscribers.One essential...
. There are a lot of options on how to reload a prepaid mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
. The most popular process is through purchasing a prepaid card but due to security precautions, electronic reloading was developed.
Development
The technology of electronic reloading was first introduced in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
by Smart Communications
Smart Communications
Smart Communications is a wholly owned mobile phone and Internet service subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company .On June 30, 2010 the company reported that it had over 45 million cellular subscribers.-Brands:...
branding the service as SmartLoad and considered to be the world's first electronic reloading service. The service offered micro top-ups meaning prepaid subscribers can top-up prepaid credits with small denominations. The service gained popularity and soon after other service providers also used the technology in offering prepaid top-ups to its subscribers.
Security
Electronic reloading does not require transfer of any actual physical prepaid cards. No more cards to be kept or safeguarded against theftTheft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
.
Cost-effective
There is no need to incur costs on transportation, warehousing or other incidental expenses that would cut into the retailer's profits because all transactions are done electronically.Convenience
Prepaid credits are loaded automatically to the subscriber. No more long lines, no more PINPIN
PIN may be an abbreviation for:* Personal identification number, a password used to access an automated teller machine or other secured system** Blackberry PIN, an eight character hexadecimal identification number assigned to a BlackBerry device...
s to be keyed in.
Reloading Stations
Prepaid subscribers can top-up airtime balances via electronic reloading stations. Reloading Stations or retailers uses a Retailer SIM card in topping up prepaid credits to a subscriber's mobile phone. The functions of this SIM is also identical to the prepaid SIM cards offered commercially but with added reloading functionality. It uses a click-and-browse SIM technology to perform hassle-free transactions. A retailer enters the number of the mobile phone to be reloaded and then chooses the amount. The airtime balance reloaded will then be deducted from the retailer's commercial load credits which can also be reloaded from any of the network's wireless centers and authorized dealers. The commercial load is the prepaid airtime balance used in reloading a prepaid SIM card and is a separate load balance from the personal load balance of the retailer.Any person can be a retailer since service providers are selling these retailer SIM cards without any additional contracts. Because of this scenario, reloading stations are popping up like mushrooms especially in the Philippines where every block of the city and even in most remotest areas in the provinces have reloading stations.
Load transfer
From the success of electronic reloading, the same network who introduced the service also developed a load transfer service among prepaid subscribers. Load transfer uses the same technology used in reloading stations but uses a different method. A prepaid subscriber must key in the mobile number of the person where the credit balance must be transferred and sends to an access number designated by the service providers. Load transfers only supports small denominations and expires after 24 hours from the time of transfer.Reward Points
Electronic reloading can also be done via reward points redemption. Service providers offers subscribers with reward points which are accumulated every time a subscribers uses or purchases any value added services of the network. These points can be used to purchase electronic loads and other services depending on the amount of points earned.Automated Teller Machines
Banks have already designed and supported reloading service via Automated Teller MachinesAutomated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
. A menu for reloading is added onto the machine and can be used by any person with an ATM card. The denomination reloaded to a prepaid mobile phone is deducted from the bank account balance of the ATM card used.
Other subscriptions
Electronic reloads can also be offered from other subscriptions from a network provider. One particular example is through a mobile broadband subscriptions. Service providers have designed a way to incorporate reloading functions of the mobile broadband. But these service are only marketed for personal use since the idea fleshed out from the load transfer service.Trivia
- In the Philippines, service providers uses different branding for the electronic reload service. Smart Communication, Globe Telecoms and Sun CellularSun CellularDigitel Mobile Philippines, Inc., is a mobile telecommunication service provider in the Philippines doing business as Sun Cellular. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Digital Telecommunications Philippines, or Digitel. Digitel is in turn owned by the JG Summit Group with a minority stake...
uses SmartLoad, AUTOLOADMax and XpressLoad respectively in branding the service.