Dubai residents will be able to avail themselves of more government transactions on smartphones as more departments launch mPay services at Gitex next week.
The move comes as smartphone usage in the country increases. Almost all government services are already online. Dubai launched its eGovernment initiatives a decade ago — one of the first Arab administrations to do so.
Revenue from mobile phone payment transactions across three government departments jumped 34 per cent from Dh4,425,159 in the first nine months of 2010 to Dh6,368,686 in the same period in 2011.
Gitex will witness the signing of agreements between eGovernment and the private sector to expand its ePay gateways by including more banks.
Currently payments to the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and Dubai Police can be made via mobile phone.
Ahmad Bin Humaidan, Director General of Dubai eGovernment, said: "With the remarkable increase of this service, mPay would be provided as a shared service that every customer could use, similar to e-pay.
"New mPay services will be launched during Gitex to enable payment of fees or fines via mobile [phones] across different government entities. Mobile [phones] are in every hand and everybody is using it easily so we are working to enhance the usage of mPay by making it generic."
The increase in the number of mPay transactions from 13,981 in the first nine months of 2010 to 18,679 in the same period in 2011 is reflecting a shift in payment trends among Dubai residents, he said.
Adding funds
However, he remarked: "Despite the target of the Dubai eGovernment strategy to bring all government services and transactions under the mobile payment system, the other payment options will be optional to the customers as well."
The mPay is a quick payment channel developed by Dubai eGovernment, particularly for use in situations where users must make instant payment of fines, fees for continued service or charges to avoid a new fine.
This service can currently be used to add funds to Salik accounts, particularly in an emergency (such as when a Salik account has been unexpectedly used up). Another service is the payment of fines to Dubai Police to help individuals who do not have enough cash to settle their fines while renewing their driving licence or car registration. The service can also be used to pay electricity bills with Dewa.
Bin Humaidan said that Dubai eGovernment's ePay generated Dh2.6 billion in the first nine months of 2011. "There was a 52 per cent increase in amounts collected through the Dubai eGovernment payment gateway compared to the same period in 2010," he said.
2,000 eservices
Dubai eGovernment Department is geared up to host 26 government entities at its stand in the 31st edition of Gitex Technology Week.
These entities will showcase over 2,000 innovative eServices during the event, building on its success in the previous Gitex editions in providing an integrated platform to showcase a wide range of government services.
Ahmad Bin Humaidan, Director General of Dubai eGovernment, said: "In the ten years since the introduction of eGovernment, the number of eServices has grown from 14 to over 2,000. This means that 90 per cent of government payments are now made using the system, with 46 per cent of government departments using it."
"Our aim is to ease the lives of people and businesses interacting with the government. It is a combination of centralisation and decentralisation," he added.
Dubai eGovernment has this year booked 2,300 square metres of exhibition space at the Shaikh Saeed Hall at stand number S2-A21, giving all participating government entities greater flexibility to present their respective services in such a manner that it enhances government integration.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Zaher Bitar
Quelle/Source: gulfnews, 04.10.2011
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