E-wallet program launched

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by Ephraim Schwartz

(IDG) -- AT&T officials on Thursday at the DemoMobile conference said they plan to offer a new service to their WorldNet and wireless PocketNet subscribers: discounts from local and national retailers and e-tailers when they use AT&T networks to make purchases.

With the Internet and mobile commerce increasing revenue sharing opportunities for companies that own a channel or platform for communications, an AT&T spokesperson said the as-yet-unnamed promotional program will allow his company to share revenues with local and national retailers. In return AT&T will offer them high visibility placement on the cell phones of subscribers using the PocketNet service. In addition, similar placement will be provided on AT&T's WorldNet ISP service.

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Because AT&T is partnering with Qpass, a digital commerce and payment infrastructure provider, retailers may even gain more partners than they bargained for.

Companies that currently appear on the PocketNet service will be expected to "implement the Qpass payment system," said Thomas Trinneer, vice president of Data Product Development at AT&T Wireless Services, in Redmond, Wash.

"Think of it as a triangle," Trinneer said.

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The triangle in Trineer's example is Barnes & Noble, an e-tailer found on the AT&T PocketNet service. Barnes & Noble would share revenues with both Qpass and AT&T on sales made over the network.

Using the e-wallet concept of a single approval for shopping at multiple vendor sites, Qpass will provide that service for any e-tailer on the PocketNet or WorldNet site.

Trinneer said the service will not be intrusive and will only point subscribers to the location where they can find local and national discounts.

Here is how it works: If a local dry cleaner opts to be on the AT&T network, AT&T will offer that dry cleaner's customer a credit back on his or her credit card when they receive the bill, serviced by Qpass.

In addition, similar to the Yellow Pages business model, retailers will be offered various display options for advertising. Trinneer said the company will market the new service to businesses nationwide through its own and an out-sourced field sales force.

The program is expected to be launched by the end of the year.

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