ATMs top up EasiPay

VERY soon, Bank South Pacific’s automatic teller machines will dispense with top up credits to EasiPay customers.
Recently, the PNG Power Ltd (PPL) and Bank South Pacific signed a deal making the electronic service available to electricity consumers.
The soon-to-be-rolled out service is part of BSP’s aim to encourage its customers to use electronic banking instead of waiting on queues for over-the-counter top-ups at the branches.
PPL chief executive officer Tony Koiri confirmed last Friday in Port Moresby that the agreement had been signed.
He said once the remaining work including electronic matters had been completed, the service would be rolled out.
“It complements the work we have done with a cell phone company … it took us by surprise because the long queues disappeared,” Mr Koiri said.
BSP’s chief executive officer Ian Clyne confirmed the deal, adding that to date, BSP had over 150 ATMs around the country.
“We are looking at making everyone come to the ATM to do their power top- ups,” he said, adding they would install about  90 new ATMs soon, so by year-end there would be over 200 ATMs.
“Our strategy is to try to get more ATMs, more EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale), more electronic banking facilities so more Papua New Guineas have access to banks,” he said.
Also last Friday, BSP launched an ATM facility at PPL headquarters at Hohola, witnessed by a  PPL staff and management officers.
Also present was BSP’s chief operating officer Lew Kenah, the man behind BSP’s electronic service venture.
Mr Koiri said efforts by PPL and BSP to install an ATM at the head office was aimed at regaining productive hours PPL staff would lose whenever they went to an ATM to withdraw money.