PORTLAND, Ore, 27 June, 2007 — Vesta Corporation, a global pioneer in value-added payment solutions, has introduced a service to enable T-Mobile USA, Inc.'s prepaid wireless customers to refill their phone accounts directly through their handset. Utilizing WAP-based technology, T-Mobile is one of the first major wireless companies in the U.S. to offer this service.
"Handset-based refilling allows customers to add minutes to their accounts wherever they are, whenever they want," said Vesta's CEO, Doug Fieldhouse. "With our mobile payment capability, purchasing minutes for a prepaid phone has never been easier."
WAP applications use an Internet browser that is built into wireless cell phones — a feature that is standard on many handsets offered by T-Mobile. After launching the browser, users can quickly and easily add time to their prepaid phone accounts through the handset's proprietary t-zones™ menu. Once customers complete an initial refill transaction via credit card or debit card, future account refills can be completed in seconds. Vesta protects the security of WAP transactions with proprietary authentication and fraud detection systems.
"T-Mobile is dedicated to helping customers stay connected and handset-based refills from Vesta will make it even easier for our prepaid customers to do just that," said Adrian Hurditch, director of segment marketing for T-Mobile. "Already, the WAP-based refill feature has had a phenomenal response."
"We are excited to power this new application," Fieldhouse adds. "We envision handset-based refill as the first of many mobile commerce capabilities that will be available in the future."
Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, USA, with operations in Europe and China, Vesta has been a pioneer and worldwide leader in virtual payments since 1995. Building upon its core mission to accelerate the global growth of virtual commerce by providing innovative payment and financial solutions, Vesta has established long-term, successful relationships with leading international companies including AT&T Mobility, AT&T Long Distance, alphyra group ltd., China Mobile, China Unicom, Ericsson, Meteor Mobile Communications, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. The company has achieved extraordinary growth, and has received numerous awards and recognition, including recent induction into the Inc. Hall of Fame for five consecutive years as an Inc. 500 fastest growing private company.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is a member of the T-Mobile International group, one of the world's leading companies in mobile communications, and the mobile telecommunications subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG. At the end of March 2007, nearly 110 million mobile customers were served by companies of the Deutsche Telekom group — 26 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM, the world's most successful digital wireless standard. T-Mobile's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect effortlessly to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile highest, in numerous regions throughout the U.S., in wireless call quality and wireless customer care. For more information, please visit the company's Web site at www.t-mobile.com. T-Mobile® is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. Stick together is a service mark of T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Joshua Rush
Director, Marketing
joshua.rush@trustvesta.com
+1 503.790.2500