What is airtime?
Sending airtime, or purchasing airtime top-up, refers to the process of adding credit to a recipient's phone plan. This form of money transfer is popular worldwide as it allows customers to remotely reload the balance of a recipient's phone credit, which can come in handy in an emergency or for expats living overseas.
What information will I need to send airtime?
To send airtime to a recipient in the same country or overseas, you will need the following details:
Full name of the recipient
Mobile number and service provider
Payment method: credit or debit card are the most widely accepted forms of payment for airtime purchases
When will I need to send airtime?
Whether you need to help someone in the same country or internationally, airtime top-up is a very convenient method of money transfer: as long as you use a secure, trusted provider.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are required to purchase airtime, there are many options available, which we will run through in detail in the Where can I purchase airtime section below.
What countries can I send airtime to?
Customers in almost all countries will be able to receive airtime, depending on the service provider you send airtime with. It is essential to ensure the provider you are considering can facilitate airtime top-up to the country you need. Governments in some countries apply taxes to airtime top-ups received from overseas, which could mean your recipient sees some of the total value deducted during the transaction. Typically, however, you will be informed of this during the transaction process.
Where can I purchase airtime?
Depending on where in the world you and your recipient are located, airtime can be purchased from many different vendors. These include money transfer providers, currency exchange operators, convenience stores and post offices: certain banks also provide airtime top-up services.
While it is not hard to find companies offering airtime services, we would recommend using one of the following trusted providers:
WorldRemit
Users can top up the recipient’s prepaid phone to enable them to send text messages and make calls; country-specific availability can be found here.
Xoom
Customers can send airtime to prepaid mobile phones in minutes using PayPal-owned international remittance platform, Xoom.
How long does it take for airtime to be received?
Due to the nature of this kind of transfer, mobile airtime services are usually instant, with funds sent to the recipient within seconds or minutes of payment being initiated.
Can I cancel airtime?
This is down to the provider, but typically, once airtime top-up has been sent to a recipient's phone number, there is no way to stop the transfer or reclaim the funds.
For this reason, most providers ask for the sender to enter the recipient's details more than once to confirm that the information is correct and no mistake has been made.
Summary
Airtime top-up is a widespread type of money transfer, but for some people, it can prove to be somewhat of an obstacle to overcome. In order to accomplish an effective, successful airtime top-up, we recommend using a verified, trusted provider, allowing plenty of time and double-checking all details before submitting payment.
Related Content
Please have a read of some of our other guides to learn more about a range of topics related to global money transfers.
