SMS parking payment arrives in France

To pay for a parking space, the motorist simply sends their license plate number by SMS. In return, they receive a payment confirmation and a reminder, also by SMS, 10 minutes before the end of the parking period. It is then possible to extend the duration directly from their phone.

Control agents, equipped with smartphones or PDAs, verify payment by entering the license plate number into a dedicated application.

The amount is debited via the mobile bill or phone credit if the motorist is a Prepaid or blocked plan customer. This service is available for all consumer mobile lines.

Without additional fees for the motorist, this SMS payment system represents an economic opportunity for telecom operators. Municipalities remit a portion of the revenue generated by parking to them.

For cities, the interest is twofold: offering a practical service to their residents while reducing the rate of unpaid parking. Currently, only 30% of French people pay for their parking, but 76% say they are interested in this SMS solution*, according to a 2011 Médiamétrie-AFMM study.

This system, particularly simple to use, eliminates the constraints associated with searching for change or purchasing prepaid cards. Moreover, it does not require sharing bank or personal data, unlike other mobile payment solutions.