Pay-By-Text is Growing in Popularity

I think most of you know that the United Kingdom is at the forefront of technology innovation when it comes to utilizing texting technology. After all, the U K is on record for sending the very first official text way back in 1992, which said "Merry Christmas."

I was at a Holiday party a few nights ago when I heard an incredible way text technology is being used by the TFL (Transport For London) within London's transportation systems, including the subway system commonly referred to as "The Tube".

My new friend had been traveling around the capital, and had left his car for 3 days in the parking lot for which he needed to pay for before catching his next train. He goes to pay, and has only two options. He can either pay with coins (in pounds), which he didn't have enough for the three days of parking charges, or he could send a text allowing him to pay by text message.

My point is this. There was NO option to pay with a credit/debit card at the station... he could only deposit hundreds of coins or pay by text! "Wow" was my first thought, and my second was "I need to find out more about this."

So I did, and here's the BL:

The vast majority of Londoner's walk up to the ticket barrier, text their payment in one fifth of a second and away they go!

Wouldn't it be awesome if we could just text a code to pay our way to travel on the Subway? We could totally bypass the entire process of having to first purchase a ticket prior to passing through the ticket barrier.

Just think of the time we would save if all our major transit systems around the United States implemented the ability to pay-by-text like The TFL has.

The mechanism that allows London travelers to pay by text is a pre-loaded "Oyster" card that can be obtained through the TFL, or if you have a Barclay's Visa Card the technology comes automatically pre-loaded.

We don't have the ability to pay for services on the Subway... yet, but New York based ShopText offers the ability to pay-by-text for merchandise. If you spot that must-have right now item in your favorite fashion magazine, you no longer need to go into a store or go online if the item has a text code associated with it. If you have a ShopText account set up, all you have to do is text the code next to the item you need to have.

If this sounds like a good idea, you'll need to contact ShopText to establish an account by providing your mailing address and credit card information. After your account has been set up, ShopText can take your orders, charge them to your credit card, and then have the product shipped, when necessary, from one of the firms warehouses across the U.S.

This is just one more reason why it's time to Read Between the Lines - Get With It or Wait to Get Your Stuff!

So, I've got to sign off now, because I need to sign up for my new ShopText account and get RBTL it's own special text code!

WOO HOO!