NEWS
Batelco and Ericsson deploy first enterprise blockchain-based customer acceptance solution
Ericsson and Batelco , part of the Beyon Group , have successfully deployed Ericsson Customer Acceptance platform , an enterprise blockchain-based solution for the automated collection of acceptance records upon fulfilment of agreed project deliverables .
Batelco is the first telecommunication service provider to implement the Ericsson Customer Acceptance solution based on enterprise blockchain technology . Ericsson Customer Acceptance significantly improves the customer acceptance process with benefits such as faster time-to-market , traceability , simplicity , and energy efficiency .
Ericsson Customer Acceptance provides significant and impactful results to the customer acceptance process . It reduces the time spent on acceptance-related activities per site by up to 42 %, thereby achieving faster time-to-market with accuracy . ECA also simplifies the process by providing a single interface for submitting and approving acceptance documents and displaying real-time status of every acceptance item submitted to the platform .
Combined with other services and software capabilities , ECA also helps reduce CO 2 emissions by removing the need for on-site customer visits to complete the acceptance process .
Apart from enabling site quality assurance and improving the acceptance flow , blockchain secures the integrity of acceptance documentation and enables transparency and traceability between the parties involved . Ericsson and Batelco enjoy a long-standing partnership spanning more than 40 years . Working together on all generations of technologies , the partnership continues to grow .
Nicolas Blixell , Vice President , Head of Ericsson GCC at Ericsson
Batelco General Manager Technology Rashed Mohamed said , “ We are proud to be the first telecommunication service provider to deploy the Ericsson Customer Acceptance platform . By simplifying our daily activities and achieving quicker installations and project completions , we can bring the latest technologies to our customers more efficiently .”
Mastercard brings Google Pay to Kuwait in partnership with Google
According to Mastercard ’ s New Payments
Index 2022 , 64 % of MENA consumers , compared to 61 % globally increased their use of at least one digital payment method in the last year , including digital cards , SMS payments , digital money transfer apps , and instant payment services . Mastercard has made a worldwide pledge to bring 1 billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses into the digital economy by 2025 .
Mastercard has collaborated with Google to launch Google Pay in Kuwait , strengthening digital payment capabilities in the country . Cardholders can tap to pay with their Android phones or supported Wear OS devices in stores where contactless is in operation . They can also use Google Pay to make payments online and through apps .
A seamless way to transact , Google Pay saves customers from handing over their payment cards , touching physical buttons , or exchanging cash . Security and privacy are built into every aspect to ensure data is protected . Transactions are made with a virtual card number , so Google Pay does not share the real credit card number with the business , and therefore payment information remains safe .
Customers save their cards for Google Pay in Google Wallet , a digital wallet that securely stores payment cards , loyalty cards ,
boarding passes , and more . The Central Bank of Kuwait recently granted several banks licenses to activate Google Wallet in the country .
Fuelling efforts to accelerate the adoption of high-security digital payments , the launch aligns with the Kuwait Vision 2035 New Kuwait and the country ’ s ongoing digital transformation journey . This is a quick and convenient addition to the payment ecosystem and allows users to securely pay with Android phones or supported Wear OS devices .
Erdem Çakar , Country Manager , Kuwait and Qatar , Mastercard , said : “ We are delighted to join forces with Google to drive digital inclusion in Kuwait as we introduce Google Pay to the country and expand the variety of contactless payments available to its people . In a new world beyond payments , Google Pay blends convenience with security to provide peace of mind .” p
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