Western Union Offers Mobile Phone Money Transfers

Western Union, hoping to boost its share of the money-transfer market, has teamed up with RadioShack, a consumer electronics retailer, and Trumpet Mobile, a small wireless company, to offer a service that lets people based in the US send money through their cellphones.

The service is aimed at immigrants to the U.S. who regularly send money to family members in their native countries. Many of these immigrants don't have bank accounts and send the money by taking cash to a transfer service such as Western Union or a host of other firms.

Western Union, which already has a big share of the US$300 billion global money-transfer market, hopes that the cellphone service will bring in new clients and encourage existing customers to use it for a broader range of money transfers including paying utility bills and sending money domestically. People without bank accounts can now pay these bills in a variety of ways, including at convenience stores.

To use the service, people need to buy a Trumpet prepaid phone at a RadioShack store. Customers can then load up to US$200 on their phones for cash transfer via Western Union's network either within the US or internationally.

Comments

[send money to the philippines]

I never try this offer.I think its more easier than go to the office of Western Union.

-Stephanie