Google Pay has unveiled plans to expand its SoundPod service for merchants across India. This announcement comes at a crucial time when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) to cease accepting transactions after March 15.
Similar to Paytm's Soundbox, Google Pay's SoundPod is an innovative audio notification service delivered through a dedicated speaker device.
This device is designed to provide merchants with real-time audio alerts when QR code payments are received.
The initial launch of SoundPod occurred last year in India on a limited pilot scale.
How to access SoundPod services?
Merchants can choose between a daily plan (₹499 one-time fees and ₹5 per day) or a yearly plan (₹1,499 for one year, saving ₹500).
The subscription includes cashback incentives for merchants who receive 400 payments in a month via GPay QR codes.
To activate SoundPod services, merchants must open the Google Pay for Business app, start the subscription, choose a plan, turn on daily settlement, select a payments profile, and set up the SoundPod device.
Setting up and operating SoundPod device
After completing the subscription, merchants can set up and operate the SoundPod device with the following steps:
Press and hold the Power key for 3 seconds to turn on the device.
The green LED indicates the device is on and connected, displaying network strength with 4G.
Two voice prompts - "Welcome to SoundPod by Google Pay" and "Network Connected" - signify a successful connection.
The device will start notifying merchants of successful transactions via QR codes.
The SoundPod device has 4 keys:
Power: Turn on the device.
Volume up/down: Adjust the device volume.
Menu: Access transaction history, OTP, terminal ID, and firmware version.
Reviewing transactions and invoices:
Merchants can review transaction details and download invoices for SoundPod services through the Google Pay for Business app:
What happens to Paytm's soundbox now?
Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma has highlighted that its soundbox will continue to work after March 15.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also clarified that if the receipt and transfer of funds are linked to any bank account other than Paytm Payments Bank, then users can continue to use this arrangement even after March 15, 2024.
Notably, Paytm's parent company, One97 Communications, has shifted its nodal account to Axis Bank from Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL).
Can users port from Paytm's soundbox to Google Pay's soundpod?
Google Pay's SoundPod and Paytm's Soundbox operate independently, and there is no direct mention of a migration or porting process between the two services as of now.
However, consumers can use any of these devices as per their needs.
(Edited by : Amrita)
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