InterAcct launches AirTimeExchange with Indonesia’s Excelcom

Migrant workers from Indonesia can now transfer mobile prepaid airtime back home with InterAcct’s international airtime send solution.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 27 2009 – InterAcct Solutions Group (IAS), a provider of mobile payment solutions using Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD), announced today the launch of AirTimeExchange, a mobile value-added service enabling instant and secure international remittance of prepaid airtime, with PT Excelcomindo Pratama Tbk. (XL), a leading mobile network operator in Indonesia.

“We are very pleased to announce this launch with Excelcom. As a leading mobile network operator in Indonesia, they provide an extensive market reach to the millions of migrant workers currently living and working in the region. With the integration of AirTimeExchange into Excelcom’s prepaid mobile solutions these migrant workers now have an affordable, fast and secure option to send small amounts of value back to their family and friends in their home country,” declared Chris Eyles, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), InterAcct Solutions Group.

AirTimeExchange is a peer-to-peer international airtime transfer solution, enabling subscribers to transfer prepaid airtime from one mobile network operator to another in a different country. It is specifically designed for the low value, less-than-$20 transfers that migrant workers would like to make to their relatives and friends in their home country.

Currently with 24.9 million users on its network, XL covers 90% of Indonesia’s population. With 24.5 million of these being pre-paid subscribers, InterAcct’s AirTimeExchange which was designed primarily for the pre-paid market, is available to a significant proportion of XL customers.

XL is a key player in the Asian telecommunications industry, with two recent awards for Best Mobile Carrier and Best Emerging Market Carrier, a first for an Indonesian operator.

“Excelcom is very excited to extend the benefits and unique capabilities of InterAcct’s AirTimeExchange to its customers. With an easy and affordable solution, we are now able to serve the needs of the large number of migrant workers and their families who subscribe to Excelcom’s prepaid accounts. With simple installation, configuration and deployment, we are able to go straight to market by adding new countries quickly and bypassing what is typically a long process,” said Hasnul Suhaimi, President Director of XL.

Transferring funds internationally is an expensive process with transfers costing between 5 – 10% of the sum sent for amounts around $200; a share which can be painfully higher for smaller amounts.

InterAcct’s AirTimeExchange offers transaction fees typically between 2 – 5% of the value being transferred. With an estimated 4.3 million Indonesian workers around the globe, virtually all of who subscribe to a prepaid mobile account, AirTimeExchange provides them with a significantly cheaper option for assisting their family and friends back in their home country.

The InterAcct system for the transfer of airtime integrates seamlessly with the existing pool of mobile handsets already in the market and with the operator’s core network and billing systems. Based on InterAcct’s USSD platform, software installation and configuration on the handset or the need for registration or activation by the subscriber are eliminated which facilitates rapid deployment, market uptake and enables subscribers to enjoy fast and uninterrupted communications between the handset and the operator network.

“With the launch AirTimeExchange, we are providing Excelcom with the opportunity to participate in the extremely attractive remittance space. Sending airtime is the ideal remittance solution for the frequent low value transfers migrant workers want to make. InterAcct offers Excelcom an attractive turnkey solution with AirTimeExchange, allowing them to leverage on their existing pool of almost 25 million pre-paid subscribers, existing infrastructure and cash-in capabilities," concluded Chris Eyles.