31 August – Starting tomorrow, Era enterprise, in cooperation with Mobitel - Slovenia’s first mobile telecommunications operator, is introducing the possibility of payment by mobile phone in all its shops and at Nazarje petrol station. Era is one of the leading commercial enterprises in Slovenia, offering to its customers the possibility of cash-free payment by means of Moneta mobile payment service. Paying by mobile phone is fast, simple and secure, thus bringing numerous advantages to Era's customers.

Era’s decision to introduce this particular form of payment because of the many advantages that Moneta payment system brings. They wanted to offer safe, fast, and transparent cash-free payment to its customers, who are at the same time Mobitel GSM/UMTS subscribers, subscribers of Debitel or Mobi prepaid users – account holders at Nova KBM bank. From 1 September 2005 Moneta payment will be possible at 62 Era shops across Slovenia as well as at Nazarje petrol station, which is the first petrol station in Slovenia to offer this kind of payment service. At least one of the cash desks in each Era shop will be equipped with a Moneta terminal, which will also be properly marked.

Era and Mobitel both emphasize the advantages for the customers as they will be able to shop bringing nothing but their mobile phones with them. Furthermore, the service is convenient for small as well as for large purchases, while the employees of Era and Nazarje petrol station will be offering their customers assistance and answer any questions they might have regarding Moneta payment.

Mobile payment service includes payments with Moneta online, at vending machines, terminals, on Planet and Moneta in Phonesales service. The first steps in mobile payment were made by Mobitel in summer 2001, when the company enabled payment with Moneta on the Internet. In May 2002 it was complemented by Moneta payments at vending machines, and ticket purchasing and booking was introduced in the autumn of the same year. Since August 2003 the users can also shop at Moneta terminals. Moneta in Phonesales was introduced this year in May, representing a novelty developed by Mobitel in cooperation with Nova KBM bank. Moneta mobile payment services are currently available at more than 4,000 points of sale around Slovenia and the number is increasing daily. Over 100,000 Mobitel subscribers have already used Moneta services, having performed over one million transactions. Mobitel GSM/UMTS subscribers and the subscribers of Debitel settle the costs of their purchase as part of a single monthly mobile-telecommunications services bill, which provides a detailed specification of the purchases made. Te clients of Nova KBM cover the costs directly from their transaction accounts.

In addition to the possibility of paying with Era's card of benefits called »Brick by brick« (Zrno na zrno), Era is now also offering payment with mobile handsets. They expect the new form of payment to be particularly attractive to those interested in safe and simple shopping, and that Moneta usage in their shops will grow at least as quickly as the number of their benefit-card holders. In this way they are implementing their vision of progress based on new activities such as engineering, marketing, consulting, organization of events and investment in the construction of a family park at TRC Jezero (tourist and recreational centre), and action park at Skopje Fair. They also continue expanding their activities to new markets, as they are opening a new centre in Kosovo, which will be the largest shopping centre in Prishtina.




For additional information please contact:
Nada Zavolovšek Hudarin, Director - HR Corporate General Affairs, Era d. d., Prešernova 10, 3320 Velenje, phone: +386 3 8960 110, email: nada@era.si
Urša Manček, Public Relations Office, Mobitel d. d., Vilharjeva 23, 1537 Ljubljana, phone: +386 1 472 29 20, email: pr@mobitel.si