Nokia aims for pan-India coverage for e-wallet this year

Handset maker Nokia is looking for a pan-India coverage for 'Nokia Money', its mobile payment services enabling consumers to pay directly from their Nokia mobile phones in India, a top official said.

"We are now planning for a pan-India coverage for our Nokia Money this year," Nokia Mobile Financial Services Director Gerhard Romen told PTI. The e-wallet services of the firm is currently available in Mumbai, Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), Nasik, Pune, Chennai and Chandigarh and the company will soon commence its operations in Surat, Baroda, Rajkot, Lucknow, Kanpur, Kochi and Kozhikode, he said.

An e-wallet is like a physical wallet that enables users to make electronic transactions quickly and securely, without cash. "Earlier, people were shocked to think that your phone could have a camera, but now everyone uses a camera phone. Similarly, in a couple of years it will be a wallet in your phone," he sid enthusing optimism.

Nokia at present has a tie-up for the e-wallet facility with YES Bank and Union Bank of India, and the company is considering a tie-up with other banks. "We are still discussing with other banks for the facility, but I can not give you any names at this time," he said.