SA SATELLITE broadcaster Orbicom, part of mobile group M-Cell, said last week it had launched an online, cardbased payment service in Ghana.

"The service involves the construction of a banking switch and the creation of a wireless communication network to link electronic point-ofsale terminals to the switch," it said.

The poor state of fixed-line telecoms infrastructure in the west African country has so far prevented the full-scale roll-out of online payment systems.

A company, Transaction Management Services (TMS), had been set up to offer the service first of all in Accra and then in other parts of the country, Orbicom said.

TMS's local partners are Cal Merchant Bank, Ecobank, Trust Bank and Dart Communications.

Orbicom owns part of Dart, which will provide and manage the online wireless communications network.