PhonePe Brings UPI To Feature Phones Without Internet Connectivity, Here’s What You Need To Know

Smartphone users routinely make Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments, but people using feature phones have had fewer options for making digital payments. PhonePe has now launched UPI 123Pay for feature phones, allowing users to make UPI payments without an Internet connection.

The service uses an SMS-based system and is designed to work in areas with limited 2G connectivity. PhonePe has said the service is aimed at India’s more than 200 million feature phone users, allowing them to make UPI payments without Internet connectivity.

How PhonePe UPI 123Pay Works Without Internet

PhonePe UPI 123Pay allows users to make peer-to-peer (P2P) payments using mobile numbers or UPI IDs. Users can also make payments to merchants through UPI IDs and QR codes. Feature phones with cameras can use the scan-and-pay option.

Apart from payments, users can also check their bank account balance, view transaction history, and manage their accounts through the service. PhonePe said bill payments, recharges and Aadhaar-based onboarding will be added in future updates.

Which Feature Phones Will Support It

PhonePe UPI 123Pay will come pre-installed on select devices from Nokia, HMD, Lava International and Itel Mobile, which is part of Transsion Holdings. PhonePe said it plans to add more handset manufacturers in the coming months.

The service is built specifically for UPI payments on feature phones and uses an SMS-based architecture instead of requiring a conventional internet connection.

How To Register And Make UPI Payments

Users can register directly through the PhonePe app pre-installed on their feature phone. They need to accept the terms and conditions, select their bank, enter the last six digits of their debit card and its expiry date, and set a UPI PIN.

To make a payment, users can open the PhonePe app on their feature phone and choose from options, such as send money, contact book, mobile number, pay to UPI, or scan & pay. They can then select pay to mobile number or pay to UPI ID and enter the recipient’s mobile number or UPI ID. On feature phones with camera support, users can also choose the scan and pay option to scan a merchant’s QR code.

After adding or scanning the payment details, users need to check the recipient’s information, enter the amount, and give their UPI PIN. They can then press ok to confirm the transaction. A confirmation message will appear on screen once the payment has been completed successfully.