JAMAICA's two largest mobile phone service providers have partnered with one of the biggest commercial banks, allowing cellphone users to top up on credit through the automated banking system.

Prepaid customers using Cable and Wireless Jamaica's bmobile can add credit via 80 of National Commercial Bank's banking machines, with expectations, said the telecoms company, that by the end of this month, the system - called Credit Express - will be extended to all 119 machines in the NCB network.

"Credit Express allows bmobile's prepaid customers who are holders of NCB accounts to buy call time via ABMs in a hassle-free and convenient environment," said a C&WJ release. The minimum credit that can be purchased via this route is $200.

Digicel calls its arrangement with NCB 'BankFlex', noting in an advertisement Friday that customers can top up directly from their bank accounts using their Midas cards, the debit card issued by NCB for its banking machines.

To use the Credit Express facility:
. insert banking card and enter personal identification number
. select the 'Phone Top Up' option
. enter cellphone number and amount of credit for purchase.
The machine will issue a receipt with a transaction number, and a text message is sent to the phone confirming the purchase.

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