ICICI Bank and Vodafone launch 'M-Pesa' service in Andhra Pradesh

ICICI Bank, India's largest private sector bank and Vodafone India, one of India's leading telecommunications service providers, together have launched 'M-Pesa', a unique mobile money transfer and payment service in Andhra Pradesh. M-Pesa empowers the unbanked and under-banked sections of the population gain access to financial services through the mobile phone. With this launch, M-Pesa is now present across 60,000 agent outlets, covering over 1.2 million customers across the country. In Andhra Pradesh, it will be available across 23 districts through 3,826 authorised agents, including over 719 Vodafone exclusive stores. Apart from Andhra Pradesh, this service has been rolled out in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, West Bengal, Punjab, UP East, UP West, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Assam & North East and Haryana and will be made available across the country in a phased manner. ICICI Bank is India's largest private sector bank and the second largest bank in the country, with consolidated total assets of $122 billion at December 31, 2012. The Bank’s presence currently spans 19 countries, including India.