Could mobile phones replace parking meters?

NEWS By Winston Chai Drivers in Singapore can now pay parking charges via their mobile phones, thanks to a new service launched by Suntec City, one of the largest shopping malls in the city-state. To use the new cashless option, motorists will first have to register their credit card details with Telemoney, a free service which allows users to pay for items such as taxi fares and photo prints wirelessly. Prior to leaving Suntec City, users need to call a designated phone number, enter their parking ticket numbers and Telemoney PIN to make payment. The platform is developed by Systems@Work, a Singapore-based payment and billing solutions provider. This announcement is one of many mobile payment initiatives unveiled recently in Singapore. Earlier this month, a consortia of companies launched Blink, a service which allows users to pay for purchases from department stores, cinemas and fast food outlets through their cell phones. By Winston Chai writes for CNET Asia