E-Trade gets easier for sites not WAP-enabled

GPayments has developed a solution that will enable online merchants to capitalise on mobile commerce without the need for Wireless application Protocol (WAP) enablement.

The Sydney e-commerce company, a subsidiary of Creative Digital Technology (CDT), will offer the capability as an extension of its ActiveWallet technology.

ActiveWallet is a server-based digital wallet system that lets customers store personal details such as credit card numbers and shipping and billing addresses.

The information then can be accessed using internet-enabled devices such as PC’s, PDA’s and mobile phones.

“In many ways we can call this zero technology WAP-enablement,” GPayments founder and CDT chief executive and chief technology Bahram Boutorabi said.

GPayments has extended the capabilities of the wallet server to interact with websites on behalf of a user.

Consumers can then search for products on sites and make purchases from their mobile phone using a WAP browser.

“This will allow any site that is not WAP-enabled to sell over a WAP-enabled device,” Mr Boutorabi said.

“But we don’t force merchants to have any additional technology.”

It also allows consumers to carry out single-click purchasing from their mobile phone, eliminating the need to enter personal information on the keypad.

“The benefits of this are the reduction of cost complexity on the merchant side and extra simplicity on the user side,” Mr Boutorabi said.

ActiveWallet will be provided through third parties such as telcos and financial institutions.

Mr Boutorabit said GPayments would soon announce partnerships with two financial institutions, to offer ActiveWallet.

The company has teamed with Cable & Wireless to provide the technology across the Asia-pacific region.

“We are also in the process of finalising our agreement with another major global system integrator, which would assist in the deployment of this technology in financial institutions,” mr Boutorabi said.

Digital wallets offer a secure method of authenticating customers and making payments from various internet devices.

They also offer value-added services such as price comparison shopping, real-time stock quores and bill payment.