roddy Posted July 7, 2006 at 12:22 PM Report Posted July 7, 2006 at 12:22 PM Well, in Beijing at least. See here for the Chinese article. Basically, a new payment network has come online, and you can pay your phone, ADSL and cable TV bill, along with a bunch of other stuff, at 84 different McDonalds, 快客 and 物美 stores, petrol stations and Golden Elephant pharmacies. You can also do the same with your bank card via www.96199.com.cn and by calling 96199. They're also adding water and electricity payment soon, which will be great - less need I have to go into banks, the better. Roddy Quote
Marco Posted July 8, 2006 at 03:04 AM Report Posted July 8, 2006 at 03:04 AM I have been paying my electricity and telephone bill at the MacDonalds for a while now, it is easy and you don't need to wait in a line.If you buy electricity you need to buy 200 units or more. Quote
roddy Posted July 8, 2006 at 04:01 AM Author Report Posted July 8, 2006 at 04:01 AM Excellent, didn't realise it had been running already, or that you could already buy electricity - could have saved me a very annoying 45 minute wait in an overheated bank earlier this week. Quote
wushijiao Posted July 8, 2006 at 07:17 AM Report Posted July 8, 2006 at 07:17 AM What's the deal with Beijing and the lack of convenience stores? In Shanghai it seems like there are about two on every block, while in Beijing they seem much harder to find. It has been possible to pay the bills at convenience stores for at least three years. Quote
roddy Posted July 8, 2006 at 07:49 AM Author Report Posted July 8, 2006 at 07:49 AM Don't know, but there are a lot more round and about now. I can think of four within a 5 minute walk of my apartment. Edit: Ah, hang on - when you pay in McD's do you do it over the counter or via an ATM type terminal? I've seen some kind of terminal there (when . . ahem . . . using the bathroom) but didn't realise what it was. Will take a closer look next time. Quote
Marco Posted July 8, 2006 at 02:39 PM Report Posted July 8, 2006 at 02:39 PM it is that atm terminal kinda thing, be sure to keep the 发票, thing do go wrong so every now and then. Quote
roddy Posted July 11, 2006 at 05:42 AM Author Report Posted July 11, 2006 at 05:42 AM Well it works - bought a recharge card for my mobile with my bank card the other day. Not particularly impressive as it doesn't directly recharge the phone, just prints out a slip with the card number, so you still need to phone up. Plus there was a 2Y fee (might vary with different services / bank cards). Electricity is the one I'm interested in though, as everything else I can do without going to a bank. Roddy Quote
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