Process to reload mobile prepaid airtime using a self-service terminal across multiple telcos and multiple currencies

A system to purchase and reload airtime for a designated foreign prepaid mobile phone accounts, comprising:

• at least one computer server;
• at least one payment receiving system connected to the computer server through a wireless protocol cloud, the payment receiving system receiving payments in a home currency from a user of the system to purchase and reload airtime denominated in a foreign currency for a foreign prepaid mobile phone accounts designated by the user;
• an airtime purchase and reload request system connected to the payment receiving system, the airtime purchase and reload request system sending the airtime request to the computer server upon receiving payments of the users from the payment receiving system;
• a currency converter module connected to the computer server for converting the home currency to a designated foreign currency;
• a system operator to administer and manage the computer server;
• and
• one or more foreign reloading entities linked to the computer server, wherein the system operator deposits a predetermined funds to the foreign reloading entities to pre-purchase a predetermined amount of airtime credit from the foreign reloading entities, wherein the deposit occurs prior to a request by the user to purchase and reload airtime for the prepaid mobile phone account designated by the user;
• wherein when the user requests to purchase and reload airtime denominated in foreign currency for a foreign prepaid mobile phone account designated by the user, the airtime request is sent to the computer server, the currency converter module converts the payments of the user from the home currency to the designated foreign currency and the computer server forwards the request to the foreign reloading entities, the foreign reloading entities then deduct a corresponding amount of airtime credit from the predetermined funds deposited by the system operator, and transfer the corresponding amount of airtime credit purchased by the user to the foreign prepaid mobile phone account designated by the user.

A method for airtime purchase and reload for a foreign prepaid mobile phone carried out by a foreign mobile network operator using an airtime purchase and reload system, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a predetermined amount of funds to the foreign mobile network operator to pre-purchase a predetermined amount of airtime credit from the foreign mobile network operator, wherein the deposit occurs prior to a request by a user to purchase and reload airtime for a prepaid mobile phone account designated by the user;
• receiving the airtime purchase and reload request in a form of an information packet from the payment receiving system;
• forwarding the information packet to the foreign mobile network operator via a network;
• directly adding the purchased airtime into the foreign prepaid mobile phone account by the foreign mobile network operator;
• sending the status of the transaction in the form of a response code to a main computer server via the network;
• acknowledging and updating the status of the transaction in a database computer server;
• sending the status of the transaction to the user via short messaging service or email.

A method for airtime purchase and reload for a non-local or foreign prepaid mobile phone carried out by an airtime transfer provider using an airtime purchase and reload system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a main computer server and a database computer server;
• depositing a predetermined amount of funds to a mobile network operator to pre-purchase a predetermined amount of airtime credit from the mobile network operator, wherein the deposit occurs prior to a request by a user to purchase and reload airtime for a prepaid mobile phone account designated by the user;
• receiving an airtime purchase request in a form of an information packet from a payment receiving system;
• forwarding the information packet to an airtime network provider via an API-XML or API-SOAP protocol directly adding the purchased airtime into the prepaid mobile phone account;
• sending the status of the transaction in the form of a response code to the main computer server;
• acknowledging and updating the status of the transaction in the database computer server;
• and
• sending the status of the transaction to the user via a short messaging service or email.

A method for receiving an international airtime purchase and reload requests, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a predetermined amount of funds to a mobile network operator to pre-purchase a predetermined amount of airtime credit from the mobile network operator, wherein the deposit occurs prior to a request by a user to purchase and reload airtime for a prepaid mobile phone account designated by the user;
• providing a computer server system selectively operable to perform the steps of:
• prompting the user to select a language of preference;
• receiving the selection from the user to purchase international airtime;
• prompting the user to select the country of a foreign prepaid mobile phone account to be reloaded;
• providing the user with the option of selecting from a plurality of airtime purchase denominations in the currency of the foreign prepaid mobile phone's country;
• converting the airtime purchase denomination from a foreign currency to a local currency;
• prompting the user to key in a foreign prepaid mobile phone number;
• determining if the mobile phone number is correctly keyed in;
• prompting the user to key in a local mobile phone number for acknowledgement;
• displaying the country, the phone number and the selected airtime purchase denomination details for confirmation by the user;
• prompting the user to deposit a payment for the selected denomination in the local currency;
• and
• informing the user regarding the status of the transaction and the receipt of payment.