A service that allows users to pay for car parking with a mobile phone using any parking ticket machine in 45 Dublin streets has been launched by the city's council with software firm ItsMobile. The scheme works by dialling an 'mPark' number, which is printed on the ticket machines. Users then wait for a voice prompt and type a four digit ID number into their mobile phones along with the required parking time. The customer's name appears on the parking machine for
confirmation and a ticket is issued. Mobile companies O2 and Vodafone have made their networks available to the scheme.
First launched in June last year, a survey of a 1,000-strong user group trial generated positive feedback, according to operations director Donal McGuinness. Of those that registered during the pilot, 97 per cent continued to use this method of payment. "In the last week, the level of transactions has gone through the roof," McGuinness says.
As for the future of mPark, talks with other cities in Ireland, the UK and Europe are on the horizon. Customers who sign up can receive their first parking transaction for free until 1 March. For more information see: http://www.mpark.ie
Quelle: Headstar
