Finnish payment services provider Luottokunta has teamed up with BookIt and Microsoft to launch a new service, eMobile, enabling users to make payments via their mobiles, ranging from travel or cinema tickets and subscriptions, to online purchases and car parking charges.

The service incorporates iSMS, which authenticates each customer via a forgery-proof ‘fingerprint’ for each transaction, eliminating the need for additional accessories or applications for the phone, or separate certificates for the SIM card. Typically, the service provider will send a text to the customer, who will then respond to the message and authorise payment by selecting a specific letter. According to Heikki Kapanen, Luottokunta CEO: “eMobile is not only very easy to use, but also extremely secure. Mobile payments using VISA and MasterCard have never been this easy.”

iSMS is gaining popularity in Finland, with an estimated 3.7m Finns currently using the platform. National air carrier Finnair has incorporated iSMS into its flight check-in service for a number of years. BookIt CEO Jukka Salonen explains: “Business travellers do not have time to queue for additional services, and Finnair believes that its services will grow in popularity when they can be ordered and paid for conveniently by phone. “Luottokunta and BookIt now expect to pick up additional interest from other transport specialists, as well as the e-commerce and entertainment sectors.