M'sia gets new Skype payment mode

KUALA LUMPUR--Local payment systems player MOL AccessPortal (MOL) and Skype have inked a deal that will enable users to exchange MOLePoints for Skype credits.

Under the agreement, consumers looking to purchase the Internet telephony company's services can now do so by redeeming Skype credits using e-vouchers obtained with their MOLePoints.

Speaking to reporters during the signing ceremony Tuesday, MOL President and CEO Ganesh Kumar Bangah said, previously, users looking to buy Skype services would need to own credit cards.

"Now, anyone can buy Skype credits making it really convenient for Malaysians [who] can do so without the hassle and risk of using credit cards [online]," Bangah said.

To purchase the credits, users will need to sign up for a free MOL account and have an Internet banking account with participating banks, including Maybank, RHB Bank, Am Bank and Public Bank. Customers will then buy MOLePoints, paying for them via direct debit transaction with their online banking account. Once the transaction is completed, users can exchange MOLePoint credits for Skype credits.

Alternatively, users who do not have online banking accounts can buy MOLePoints at any of the 15,000 payment outlets nationwide, including 7-Eleven, Popular Bookstore and various cybercafés, Bangah added.

According to Dan Neary, vice president and general manager of Skype Asia-Pacific, the eBay-owned company constantly looks for ways to enhance user experience, for example, by expanding its payment channels.

Asked how the MOL partnership will impact Skype's adoption in Malaysia, Neary said: "We have no specific growth targets, but we believe this concept has potential. This is especially true during these slower economic times, when people are looking to increase productivity at lower costs."

He noted that there were no immediate plans to launch the service in other Southeast Asian countries, adding that Taiwan and Japan are the only other Asian countries that offer similar payment modes through local partners.

MOL has more than 250,000 active members, while Skype has 405 million registered users worldwide, 147 million of whom are based in Asia, said company officials.

Edwin Yapp is a freelance IT writer based in Malaysia.