Vodafone Idea partners with Paytm to launch recharge facility for all bank account holders; tie-up offers simple, safe solution

India’s leading telecom services provider Vodafone Idea launched a unique service to empower feature phone users and non-digital savvy customers to recharge their Vodafone Idea numbers with just a valid UPI ID. Accordingly, Vodafone Idea has tied up with Paytm to launch this service across the country, the telco said. The move will help millions of subscribers who use feature phones to top up their numbers without having the need to visit physical retail touchpoints. The service doesn’t require mobile-internet facility to undertake such recharges and non-Paytm app users can also easily avail this service, Vodafone Idea said. “This service is based on the innovative payment service *99# which works on the unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) channel. Envisioned as a key facilitator to financial inclusion, this service allows mobile banking transactions using basic feature phones without having to depend on mobile internet,” it said. Vodafone and Idea customers can undertake a recharge using this service in the following manner. Steps to follow in case Customer’s UPI ID is already registered with Bhim UPI. 1) Customer dials in USSD code: *99*1*3# (USSD for UPI Money Transfer : Flow owned by NPCI) 2) Customer’s bank account number linked to mobile number through which USSD is dialed is detected. 3) Enters the UPI ID defined by Paytm ({mobile number}.{operator_name}@paytm). (Eg : Vodafone customers can enter (98********.vf@paytm) and Idea customers can enter (98********.id@paytm) 4) Enters amount. 5) Enters a remark (optional). 6) Enters UPI PIN. 7) Transaction is successful and a UPI reference ID is generated. Steps to follow in case customer’s UPI id is not registered with Bhim UPI. (Customer mobile number registered with bank for UPI- UPI ID available – but no UPI PIN | Option available to set the UPI PIN) 1) Dial *99# 2) Customer is shown all his/her bank accounts linked with the mobile number from where the USSD is dialled in. 3) Customer selects the bank account he/she wants to register his/her UPI ID with. 4) Customer sets the UPI PIN. 5) To do a mobile recharge, user needs to again dial *99# and do the procedure (a). Announcing the launch of this UPI-based recharge facility, Avneesh Khosla, Director-Marketing, Vodafone Idea said, “It is our constant endeavour to ensure that our customers remain connected and safe during these times. In the last 2 months we have a launched a slew of initiatives to help consumers stay connected." Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak He said the partnership with Paytm would help facilitate a large number of digitally unconnected customers to recharge through USSD without being dependent on mobile internet, any digital app or a physical retail touchpoint. “Through this partnership we will be able to provide a simple and secure solution, enhancing the convenience factor to these pre-paid customers during very testing times so as to ensure that our consumers do not have to leave the safety of their homes to recharge their phones,” he said.