BSNL unveils mobile wallet for subscribers

State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today unveiled its mobile wallet in partnership with MobiKwik to enable one-tap bill payment for its over 100 million subscribers.

Besides, the subscribers will also be able to use the digital wallet at over 1.5 million merchants across India.

The digital wallet, developed by MobiKwik for BSNL, is in line with the telecom corporation's intent to take the reach of digital payments to semi-urban and rural India, a BSNL statement said.

The app will allow users to pay for online recharges, make bill payments, shop and book bus and train tickets.

Launching the digital wallet, telecom minister Manoj Sinha said, "With this co-branded wallet, the ease of payment will be extended to all the customers while equally strengthening financial inclusion in the rural hinterlands, which often get neglected".

BSNL Chairman Anupam Srivastava said the partnership will ensure that all its 100 million customers are able to "seamlessly and conveniently transact and make mobile and other financial payments through the co-branded MobiKwik wallet".

BSNL claimed that with over 1.5 million merchants on the network, this is India's largest wallet by any telecom company.

The alliance with BSNL will "empower masses in India with access to dependable internet connectivity and digital payments", Bipin Preet Singh, founder and CEO of MobiKwik said.

The BSNL wallet will enable people to pay bills, recharge their phone connections and pay for their daily purchases, he added.

Srivastava said the wallet will work on both smartphone and feature phones.