Redeban, in alliance with Visa, announced the arrival in Colombia of Tap to Phone, a technology that allows cell phones, with Android technology, to be converted into data phones.
Thus, merchants and entrepreneurs will only have to download an application to receive payments with contactless debit or credit credentials.
Tap to Phone enables businesses and entrepreneurs to easily accept payments by simply downloading an app and using their smartphones as mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminals, thus eliminating the need for, and associated fees for, dataphones.
In addition, it is an attractive technology for both consumers and sellers, since it makes it easier for people (buyers) to bring their contactless payment credential to the seller’s cell phone –from cards enabled for contactless payments to digital wallets–, which offers comfort and convenience to customers.
This technology will also reach Bucaramanga. This will increasingly promote financial inclusion by improving the figures in cities such as Bucaramanga, where, between January and November 2022, 7.7 million transactions for $1.3 trillion have been processed through Redeban channels.
“This is a multi-franchise solution that will allow receiving not only Visa cards, but also cards from other brands. Likewise, it is as easy and safe to use as a payment through traditional data phones, you only need to bring the contactless card closer to the cell phone that will receive the payment and that’s it,” said Andrés Duque, president of Redeban.
Tap to Phone is a technology that Visa has already implemented in 60 markets around the world and in Latin America and the Caribbean it has enabled 280,000 mobile payment terminals.
“Colombia is the second country in the Andean Region and the third in Latin America and the Caribbean to have this innovative technology that contributes to the digitization of many businesses. With the implementation and launch of Tap to Phone, we ratify, once again, our commitment to the evolution and development of greater competitiveness in critical segments for the country’s economy such as businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Adriana Cárdenas, General Manager of Colombian visa.
According to the results of a survey carried out by Banco de La República, where different aspects of the acceptance and use of different payment instruments are analyzed, 50% of businesses have adopted some electronic payment instrument or channel. Furthermore, 26.1% of the adoption of these services occurred as a consequence of the pandemic.
To use Tap to Phone, Colombians only have to register in Redeban Payments, and with the Redeban app, enter the amount to be charged, choose the option “Charge with cell phone” and ask the customer to bring a debit or credit card, such as of Visa, to the back of the mobile phone.
The Redeban app will make the immediate payment and will provide the option of sending the customer proof of payment by email or text message.