Do you rely on UPI transactions for your day-to-day payments? What if you encounter an internet snag failing your financial transactions? Around 58 per cent of mobile internet users in India had their digital payment/banking transactions disrupted once or more in the last 12 months due to poor network coverage, according to a recent study by Local Circles, a community platform.
The survey was based on 39,000 responses from consumers located in 329 districts of India. 44 per cent of respondents were from Tier 1, 34 per cent from Tier 2 and 22 per cent of respondents were from Tier 3 & 4 districts.
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The growing dependence on digital payments in India has been accompanied by challenges such as disrupted transactions due to poor mobile network coverage. But is there a solution to overcome this unavoidable issue?
Offline UPI Transactions @ *99#
For the unversed, there is an option for offline UPI transactions as well in case individuals are stuck in areas (or situations) with poor network coverage. This service, based on the USSD code *99#, allows you to do various mobile banking transactions without an active Internet connection/service. Using this service, you can transfer money, request funds, change your UPI PIN, and check your account balance anytime and anywhere.
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No Language Barrier: The offline UPI payment number is available in 13 languages, including English and Hindi.
You need to dial the USSD number from your registered mobile number to use this service and follow the interactive guidelines that will be displayed on your mobile screen for transactions.
Currently, the upper limit for transactions using this service is set at Rs 5,000. You should also know that a fee of Rs. 0.50 per transaction is applicable for using this offline UPI payment service.
Here’s A Step-By-Step Guide To Setup Offline UPI Payment;
1. Register for Offline UPI Payment
- The first step is to dial *99# on your mobile phone using the number registered with your bank account/UPI ID. This service is known as USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) banking works across all GSM service providers and doesn't require a smartphone.
Now, choose your bank from the list provided.
After this, you will required to enter your UPI PIN to complete registration. f you don't have a UPI PIN, you will be asked to set one up using your debit card details. This step ultimately enabled the authorisation of transactions.
2. Initiating Transactions
After successful registration for offline UPI payments, follow the steps below to make a digital transaction without internet connection:
Step 1: Dial *99# from your mobile.
Step 2: Select your preferred language from the list of 13 options.
Step 3: Enter your bank’s IFSC code in the text field as requested.
Step 4: In the next column, enter the details of your recipient, this may include mobile number, UPI ID, and bank account details.
Step 5: Put in the amount that you need to transfer/send.
Step 6: As the final step, enter the UPI PIN to complete the transaction.
Here are three other transaction/banking-related services you can avail of offline:
Bank Balance: You can also check your bank balance offline by dialling *99# (the USSD code). To initiate this, you need to select 'Check Balance’, choose the balance inquiry option and enter your UPI PIN to view your account balance.
You can also ‘Request Money’ using the same USSD code from others.
Using this service, you can change your UPI PIN for added security as well.
This service is particularly helpful if you are travelling to areas that lack proper internet connection and data services. In addition to making payments, you can also check your offline UPI transaction history by dialling the same USSD code and following instructions on your mobile phone. This will help you access details such as transaction amount, date, and recipient details. The feature will enable you to keep track of your financial activities and maintain accurate records even in no internet connectivity zones.
