Samiksha Koirala

Migrant workers in Qatar will shortly be able to send money to Nepal with the help of a SMS - thanks to newly introduced service - Mobile Banking Service - of Qatar Telecom (Qtel).

Executive Director of Qatar Telecom´s (Qtel) International Service Ahmed Yousef Ebrahim Al-Derbesti said the company is introducing the service in Nepal in three months. "We introduced Qtel Mobile Money as a product last week only and we hope to deliver the service within next three months in Nepal," he added.

Al-Derbesti who is in the capital to participate in International Carrier Partners´ Meet said that talks with NT to introduce the service were in the final stage and the company will launch the service after completing the formalities.

"This will directly benefit migrant workers who are in Qatar and sending [money] via mobile would be easier," he told Republica.

The service is believed to benefit migrant workers who don´t have knowledge about banking services and are dependent on informal channels like hundi, hand-carry, among others. 

After launching the mobile banking service for Nepal, the company is planning to extend the service to other major international remittance destinations like Pakistan and the Philippines. "In a short period, we plan to make the service available in Bangladesh, India and other countries as well," he stated. 

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Spokesperson Bhaskar Mani Gyawali said the central bank is happy about the service as long as the money comes via banking channel in convertible currency. "Afterall, mobile banking is a kind of electronic cheque and any agent or firm that has got permission from Foreign Exchange Department of NRB can provide the service," Gyawali said. 

Qtel Mobile Money Service can be used as mobile phone service where customers in Qatar can transfer money within the country as well as abroad. Like mobile-banking services in Nepal, Qtel customers can also use the service to pay their bills. 

According to Qtel officials, state-owned operator Nepal Telecom (NT) is their biggest carrier for voice services and the company is positive about working together on other services as well. "We want our (NT and Qtel) partnership to be beneficial for both of us," he said adding that the operator is also positive about working on infrastructure partnership with NT that would reduce the operation cost for both operators. 

Currently, migrant workers residing in Qatar make phone call of over 50 million minutes per months out of which 35 million minutes comes through Nepal Telecom (NT). Qtel has recently signed an agreement to establish Multi Service Point of Presence (POP) with NT, targeting to welcome 70 million minutes call per month in three months.

Published on: 18 October 2011 | Republica