NEWSLINES: IRISH MOBILE payments firm Boxpay has opened an office in San Francisco. The company, whose technology enables e-commerce transactions to be completed via mobile phone rather than with a credit card, says its new office will support customers in the US and Canada.

Customers of companies using Boxpay’s mobile billing service can make a purchase without having to pre-register. Instead, they receive a text with a PIN enabling them to complete the transaction. The charge is either added to their mobile bill or deducted from a prepaid balance.

The company, founded by brothers Gavin and Iain McConnon, was one of five Irish start-ups shortlisted for the ESB Electric Ireland Spark of Genius competition at last year’s Dublin Web Summit. Gavin McConnon said the North American expansion was crucial to the firm because of the number of mobile phone subscribers there. The fact these consumers were familiar with mobile payments made it particularly important.