Vodafone launches mobile payment service

Vodafone has expanded its mobile payment offering with the launch of 'm-pay cards', a service which cuts down on the amount of information its customers need to provide when buying goods online.

Vodafone customers can now register their credit or debit card details once on a Vodafone website. These details are held by Vodafone and automatically transferred to the online merchant when required.

This registration process eliminates the need for customers to enter their full personal details on every website they buy goods from. Once they have registered for Vodafone m-pay cards, they need only enter their user name and password to complete a transaction with the participating traders.

Companies currently signed up to the service include CD-Wow, Friends Reunited and Odeon Cinemas.

The payment platform has been developed in partnership with Encorus Technologies, owned by eONE Global.

Jim Wadsworth, head of m-commerce, Vodafone UK, said: "Our customers no longer need to spend time filling in lengthy forms with their credit or debit card number, expiry date and so on. When they want to buy something online, once they're registered it's just a matter of entering their user name and password and they're away."