A number of Kabul residents are calling for the electronic credit top-up system, known as “ExpressPay”, to be reactivated. They say the system, which was created years ago to make telecommunications services easier to access, has stopped working, and that some of its machines have disappeared from their original locations or are being used for other purposes. The residents add that the sustained operation of such systems could accustom people to electronic methods and reduce the need for traditional payment methods.
The “ExpressPay” system was installed in parts of Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Jalalabad in 2012, with the aim of providing credit top-up services for telecommunications network subscribers. Users could choose a telecommunications network, specify the amount of credit, and insert cash to transfer the credit they needed to their SIM card on the spot. The system was also expected to be activated in a number of other provinces of the country.
Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, the residents say that if the “ExpressPay” system is fully and comprehensively reactivated, it should also make it possible to pay for daily purchases, electricity bills, and other small payments. They say that to prevent the system from breaking down again, “ExpressPay” machines should be maintained regularly and repaired promptly when they malfunction. They also want the machines installed in locations where citizens can access electronic payment services more easily.
Ali Sina, a Kabul resident, says the “ExpressPay” system provided good convenience for citizens during its years of operation, but it collapsed because of neglect. According to him, after the system stopped working, people gradually forgot about using it. He adds that he is unaware of the reason the services were halted, but says systems that create convenience for citizens should not break down after a short time.
The Kabul resident says: “When the ExpressPay machines were working, we could top up our credit day and night without limits, and we could even do it for our friends. This system was a good convenience, but unfortunately it disappeared very quickly.”
In Ali Sina’s view, if “ExpressPay” is reactivated, electronic services should be expanded across different sectors.
Hayatullah, another Kabul resident, also wants “ExpressPay” to be reactivated. He says the system should offer more services to citizens. He suggests that electricity bill payments should also be possible through these machines so that citizens can make some of their payments through “ExpressPay”.
Hayatullah says: “If payments are digital, people can pay their bills from home or through a machine. This both creates convenience and can prevent crowding in banks.”
Sultan Ali, another Kabul resident, says reactivating “ExpressPay” can be effective when new and advanced machines replace the old models. He says similar models in other countries, including Iran, can be used to modernize the system.
Sultan Ali says: “If these machines are reactivated, it is better to use a more advanced version of them, like the systems in Iran, where people can use cards and electronic methods. This would also reduce the use of cash.”
Shekab, another Kabul resident, says that if “ExpressPay” is reactivated, the installation locations and the type of services it offers should also be considered. He adds that if these machines are installed in suitable parts of the city and equipped with new features, they could also offer services such as paying transport fares and buying tickets.
Shekab says: “Having such machines can be useful for people, especially when someone does not have access to the internet or when internet prices are high for them. If this system is activated in an advanced form, more services, such as paying transport fares and buying tickets, can also be carried out through it.”
The “ExpressPay” system was launched with the aim of providing credit top-up services for telecommunications network subscribers, and its scope of operation was expected to expand to more parts of the country.
However, in the following years these services did not continue on a wide scale, and a number of “ExpressPay” machines also disappeared from their installation sites. Telecommunications network subscribers now also use digital methods to top up their credit, including the “Me and You” (Mitiyu) and “Ding” applications.
Kabul residents say that if “ExpressPay” is reactivated, newer technology should be used and its services should be expanded to include electricity bill payments, daily purchases, and other small payments. They also want these machines installed in suitable parts of the city and regularly maintained so that they are repaired on time when they break down.
Several telecommunications companies in Afghanistan now offer voice and internet services, and credit top-ups are also carried out through various methods, including the digital applications “Me and You” (Mitiyu) and “Ding”.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
مشکلات در خدمات مخابراتی؛ باشندهگان خواهان فعالشدن دوباره پرداخت الکترونیکی هستند
