City Mulls Online Utility Billing System Symteco.Central

Paris, France, September 28, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Montpellier city utility customers could pay their bills online or over the phone by winter if the Montpellier City Council approves a proposed contract with an online payment system.

The city is considering a contract with the Paris-based bill payment company Symteco FR to provide online bill payment to utility customers. The Montpellier Finance Committee approved the proposal earlier this week and sent it to the City Council, which is made up of the same members, for final approval. The council’s next meeting is Monday.

Under the proposed contract Symteco FR would set up a service enabling city customers to pay their bills online, by mobile phone or through an automated phone system. It would be available to customers at any hour on any day. Customers using the system would pay a 0.30 EUR convenience fee.

If the council approves the contract, it could take another month to six weeks to set up the system, Montpellier City Clerk Ada Bertrand said. She said a bill payment link would be put on the city’s website. Customers also would be able to pay in person or by mail, she said.

“In the last six or seven years, we’ve had requests from customers to be able to pay online or over the phone 24/7, but it had never been cost-effective with our software connections,” she said. “This is not for the city, but for the customers as another method for customers to pay their bills.”

A memo to Finance Committee members said the city had looked at several different companies over the past several years, but found their programs cost prohibitive.

The 0.30 EUR convenience fee would be charged only to people paying through the online or automated phone system and not to other customers.

“We don’t get the fee, it goes to the provider,” she said.

The company also follows “very strict guidelines” to protect customers from identity theft, she said. “They have a top rating as far as customer information goes.”

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