Global Payments Europe Announces the Introduction of a Point-of-Sale Mobile Phone Card Re-Loading Service
ATLANTA, Jan. 16 -- Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN), a world leader in payment processing services, today announced its Prague-based, wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Payments Europe, s.r.o., in cooperation with the Czech Republic retail chain Globus CR, k.s., has launched GP mobile, a mobile phone card re-loading service via POS terminals. This re- loading service for prepaid cards will be available to mobile telephone consumers through Globus hypermarkets.
This new service will allow customers at the 11 Globus hypermarkets, with 550 check-out counters, to quickly and easily re-load their phones provided through mobile service operators Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, T-Mobile Czech Republic and Vodafone Czech Republic. Currently, there are more than 7.2 million prepaid mobile phones in use in the Czech Republic and consumers often use online methods such as ATMs and GSM banking terminals to re-load phones. GP mobile provides an additional outlet for consumers who wish to re-load their phones.
"Regarding our cooperation with Global Payments Europe on this project," said Petr Vyhnalek, CEO of Globus, "We are very fortunate to have a partner such as Global Payments to introduce a new service that is highly attractive, effective and convenient for our customers."
Global Payments Europe developed the concept of re-loading mobile phones through various channels in the late 1990s. According to Petr Sedlacek, CEO of Global Payments Europe, "We introduced the concept of re-loading prepaid phones through ATMs and mobile telephones starting in 2001. Now, thanks to a close alliance with Globus CR, and in cooperation with Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, T-Mobile, and Vodafone, we are pleased to continue this tradition by introducing an even more convenient method of service - POS terminals."
Based in Prague, Global Payments Europe (formerly MUZO) serves financial institutions with a comprehensive package of payment services including credit and debit card transaction processing, installation and servicing of ATM and POS terminals, as well as card issuing services such as card database management and card personalization. The company also provides mCommerce and eCommerce services as well as credit bureau processing services. Global Payments Europe's proprietary platform was among the first in the European market to be compliant with the international EMV standards for chip-based payment cards.
Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) is a leading provider of electronic transaction processing services for consumers, merchants, Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), financial institutions, government agencies and multi- national corporations located throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information about the company and its services, visit www.globalpaymentsinc.com/.
About Globus CR, k.s.:
Globus CR, k.s., operates a network of eleven Globus hypermarkets and Baumarkt DIY centres in the Czech Republic. In its hypermarkets Globus offers its customers a comprehensive range of food and non-food products - approximately 15,000 types of food products and 45,000 types of non-food products, from electronics, to textiles, household products, toys, paper, CDs, sports goods and car accessories. The company employs more than 5,000 people in the Czech Republic. Its turnover was CZK 19 billion last year.
About Telefonica O2 Czech Republic:
Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, a.s., is the first integrated operator in the Czech Republic formed on 1 July 2006 by the merger of the leading fixed line operator, CESKY TELECOM, a.s., and the strongest mobile operator, Eurotel Praha, spol. s.r.o., into a single telecommunications organization. The organization is now operating nearly eight million lines, both fixed and mobile, making it one of the world's leading providers of fully converged services. Telefonica O2 Czech Republic offers the most comprehensive portfolio of voice and data services in this country.
About Vodafone Czech Republic:
Since 1 June 2005, Vodafone Czech Republic a.s. (then Oskar) has been part of Vodafone Group. Vodafone Czech Republic a.s. has 2,311,000 customers and the largest average revenue per user (ARPU), which reached CZK 670 in the last quarter. Vodafone Group is the world's leading international mobile telecommunications group with equity interests in 26 countries across five continents with 191.6 million proportionate customers worldwide as at 30 September 2006 as well as 34 partner networks. For further information, please visit www.vodafone.com/.
About T-Mobile Czech Republic:
T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s. has been operating in the Czech market since 1996. Since its establishment, the company has placed emphasis on the quality of services offered and excellent customer service. As of 30 September 2006, 4.823 million customers were using T-Mobile services. T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s. operates a public mobile communications network on the GSM standard in the 900 and 1800 MHz bands and is also authorized to operate a UMTS network. T-Mobile was the first operator in the Czech Republic to launch its third- generation technology on 19 October 2005 under the name Internet 4G. For more information about the company, please visit www.t-press.cz/ or http://www.t-mobile.cz/.
Contact: Phyllis McNeill
Voice: 770 829-8245
eMail: phyllis.mcneill@globalpay.com
Source: Global Payments Inc.
Web site: www.globalpaymentsinc.com/
http://www.vodafone.com/
http://www.t-press.cz/
http://www.t-mobile.cz/
