Need a lift? Just TXT-a-coffee

The team who created TXT-a-park and mobile banking has created a new mobile phone technology called i-can which has the potential to change lifestyles around the world.

With i-can simple daily tasks such as ordering and paying for a coffee can be done using a mobile phone.

I-can offers pay-by-phone-type solutions allowing consumers to pay directly from their bank account for a range of merchandise using a single, menu-driven application.

People can order and pay for drinks, food and takeaways, pay bills, power, phone and internet, top up mobiles, buy goods for delivery and shows for cable TV. It also has a full banking service.

Fronde Anywhere came up with the technology and presented the i-can case study and business model to New Zealand organisations this month.

Anthea Kirk, Fronde Anywhere’s marketing and presales product specialist, says the presentation was a success.

“There was a good turnout and quite a lot of interest and enthusiasm.”

She says the technology is a while away yet but Fronde Anywhere wanted to show New Zealand companies what was happening with its technology and what could be here in the future.

Fronde Anywhere is now looking to connect with organisations that were at the presentation such as Vodafone, Telecom, TelstraClear, Paymark, McDonald’s, ASB and the National Bank.

The i-can technology works because multiple banks and payment switches are integrated with the service which gives the consumer a choice of payment options.

There is security with SSL encryption, bank pin and two-factor authentication.

Loyalty programmes and electric merchant coupons are also integrated in the service.

I-can was created in 2007 and went into production in the Philippines last year.

Future applications of the technology include airline ticketing and boarding passes, voucher purchases via shopping mall chains, ticketing in general and cable TV.

The addition of new merchants is managed dynamically and updated to the mobile phone without the consumer having to do anything.