UPI payments: Crores of feature phone users will soon be able to make digital payments, as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will today launch a UPI-based payment product for such handsets.
“Watch the launch of UPI for feature phones – 24*7 helpline for digital payments – DigiSaathi by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on March 8, 2022 at 12 noon on March 8, 2022,” the central bank tweeted from its official handle.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has emerged as a popular mode of payment through smartphones. In December, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das announced the launch of a digital payment system for feature phones.
Watch out for the launch of UPI for feature phones – UPI123Pay and 24*7 helpline for digital payments – DigiSaathi by RBI Governor @DasShaktikanta at 12 noon on March 08, 2022 YouTube: https://t.co/lb5mhivRfd#rbitoday #rbigovernor #DPAW #UPI #digisaathi @UPI_NPCI
— ReserveBankOfIndia (@RBI) March 8, 2022
Which are feature phones?
Feature phones are not smartphones and provide the usual features like making calls and sending messages.
Aadhaar Card: Mobile number has to be changed in Aadhar card, you can do this online sitting at home
In order to increase the reach of financial services, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said that it is important to connect feature phone users with mainstream digital payments.
The scope of digital payment will increase
The RBI governor had said, “With a view to widen the scope of digital payments, it is proposed to introduce UPI based payment products for feature phone users. Detailed details regarding this will be released soon.”
There are 44 crore feature phone users in India
RBI said that according to the October data of telecom regulator TRAI, the number of mobile phone users in India is about 118 crore. It has 74 crore smartphones while the rest are feature phones. Feature phone users have limited access to digital payment products. However, feature phones have NUUP (National Unified USSD Platform). This is an option to get basic payment service. A shortcode *99# is used for this.
,