Ericon and Vodafone M-Pesa simplify safe water payments

Ericsson M-Commerce Interconnect solution provides interconnection between Vodafone M-Pesa mobile wallets and Grundfos safe water kiosks in Kenya and Tanzania

Integrated payment service makes it easy for people to pay for safe water with their M-Pesa mobile wallets, including in rural areas

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announced that its M-Commerce Interconnect (EMI) service will simplify mobile money payments and cash collection between mobile wallet provider Vodafone M-Pesa and businesses.

The first deployment under the deal will connect M-Pesa with the growing network of Grundfos safe water kiosks throughout Kenya and Tanzania, with other countries to follow. This integrated payment service simplifies payment for safe water. M-Pesa is the global brand for Vodafones Mobile Money service, now present in 10 countries.

Michael Joseph, Director of Mobile Money, Vodafone, says: Vodafone is delighted to enable access to affordable, safe water for our M-Pesa customers as a result of the partnership with Ericsson M-Commerce Interconnect for Grundfos systems.

Grundfos intelligent and connected water kiosks dispense safe drinking water in the developing world. Across rural Africa, 50,000 water supply points have failed, mainly due to lack of funds and capacity for operations and maintenance. Ericsson and Vodafone address this critical challenge via efficient cash collection, reducing the risks of cash management and overhead costs for a scalable safe water solution.

Peter Heuman, VP and Head of Mobile Financial Services, Ericsson, says: Breaking down the walls that exist in the mobile money ecosystem represents a significant leap forward in creating much-needed connections between wallet providers and enterprises. When digital payments become pervasive in cash-based societies, new opportunities that were previously unimaginable become reality.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For media kits, backgrounders and high-resolution photos, please visit www.ericsson.com/press

Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society - a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.

Our services, software and infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud - are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.

With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the worlds mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions - and our customers - stay in front.

Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2015 were SEK 246.9 billion (USD 29.4 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.

www.ericsson.com

www.ericsson.com/news

www.twitter.com/ericssonpress

www.facebook.com/ericsson

www.youtube.com/ericsson

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Ericsson Corporate Communications

Phone: +46 10 719 69 92

E-mail: media.relations@ericsson.com

Ericsson Investor Relations

Phone: +46 10 719 00 00

E-mail: investor.relations@ericsson.com

LINK:	http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/press/releases/2016/10/2047086...
	See more stories from ericsson

Most recent headlines