Research reveals that 45% of people would like to pay bills by cell phone.

A survey commissioned this April by ContaSuper indicated that 45% of people would like to pay bills by cell phone or SMS using prepaid plans. The survey polled 1.004 people between April 10th and 14th. The research, commissioned by NetQuest, surveyed 461 men and 543 women, aged 18 to 65, in the South, Southeast, North, Northeast, and Central-West regions of Brazil.

The survey also showed that a lack of consumer knowledge means that prepaid accounts and cards are still underutilized. Only 13,3% have ever used this mechanism. 42% of respondents said they had never heard of prepaid accounts and cards, a number that points to a large field of work for companies in the sector.

Of the 86,7% who have never used the service, the main reason given was a lack of knowledge about the product/service (55,1%). Another 27,7% said they didn't use it because they prefer the bank, and 13,3% don't want to pay for top-ups.

According to Luiz Almeida, vice-president of Super, this scenario shows the growth potential for companies in the sector and the importance of offering differentiating factors. "People are still beginning to understand the difference between a traditional prepaid card, where you can only withdraw cash and pay for purchases, and prepaid platforms, like Super's, where it's possible to transfer money, top up mobile phones, pay bills online or by phone, and even play lotteries, among other functionalities," he says.

The executive sees the research data as an indicator that people are increasingly seeking technology. "With increasingly busy daily lives, we must offer easy, fast, and secure ways to pay and be paid. The number of smartphones in Brazil is growing rapidly, so we must be prepared to offer solutions via mobile phone. It is in this sense that Super is increasingly preparing itself," says Almeida.

Another interesting finding from the research concerns the usage habits of prepaid cardholders. Of those who have used them, 50% did so for purchases, with 36,6% making purchases online. Meanwhile, 23,1% of respondents used them for travel and 17,9% for receiving salaries.

The research also showed that 42% would like to top up their cell phones using prepaid plans, and 36% would like to schedule bill payments online. Interestingly, 25,5% would like to be able to play the lottery without queuing using prepaid plans.