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PhonePe launches offline UPI service for feature phones
PhonePe has launched ‘PhonePe UPI 123Pay’, a new service enabling feature phone users in India to make Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions without an internet connection. Utilizing an SMS-based architecture, the service is designed to function in areas with limited 2G connectivity, facilitating peer-to-peer transfers, merchant payments via UPI IDs or QR code scanning, and account management such as checking balances and transaction history.
The initiative aims to drive financial inclusion for the estimated 200 million feature phone users in India. PhonePe has partnered with manufacturers including Nokia, HMD, Lava International, and Itel Mobile to provide the service. To assist users, an AI-powered voice helpline is available in English and 12 Indian languages. Future updates are expected to include bill payments, mobile recharges, and Aadhaar-based onboarding.
Separately, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is working on an interoperability framework for UPI AutoPay. This upcoming change will allow consumers to port active recurring mandates—such as SIPs, insurance premiums, and OTT subscriptions—between different UPI applications without needing to cancel and re-register them. This move is intended to reduce user lock-in and increase competition among payment platforms.
Entities
Global Fintech Fest · Global Fintech Fest · Google Pay · HMD Global · India · LAVA International · Mumbai · National Payments Corporation of India · Nokia · PhonePe · Sameer Nigam · UPI
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Recurring payments will continue to be debited from the user’s originally authorized bank account. pc-tablet.com · inc42.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] NPCI is developing an interoperability framework for UPI AutoPay. pc-tablet.com · hindikhabar.com · inc42.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Users will be able to transfer active recurring mandates between UPI apps without cancelling and re-registering. pc-tablet.com · hindikhabar.com · inc42.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Official details regarding the portability feature are expected to be announced at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. pc-tablet.com · hindikhabar.com · inc42.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Merchants will be able to move existing customer mandates across different payment gateways or providers. pc-tablet.com · inc42.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] UPI AutoPay was introduced by the NPCI in 2020. pc-tablet.com · hindikhabar.com · inc42.com