Airtel-Hitachi Alliance Delivers Smart Soundbox For India’s Merchants

Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Hitachi Payment Services to deliver an end-to-end Soundbox solution, a move set to accelerate digital payments and broaden merchant acceptance across India. The Soundbox, deployed nationwide, simplifies transactions for millions, offering multilingual audio alerts and enabling real-time confirmation of payments.

Empowering Merchants With The Deployment

The collaboration goes beyond simple device distribution—Airtel Payments Bank is supporting merchants throughout the entire lifecycle: onboarding, training, rapid deployment, payment processing, and settlements. Businesses benefit from instant feedback on payments and can tap into advanced device features like promoting offers directly to customers through dynamic alerts.

Ganesh Ananthanarayanan, Chief Operating Officer, Airtel Payments Bank, said, “We are pleased to partner with Hitachi Payment Services for the Soundbox solution. Through this collaboration, we aim to bring greater ease and convenience to both merchants and customers by simplifying digital payments and offering real-time audio confirmation of the payment received. The Soundbox will empower small and medium businesses to accept digital payments seamlessly and securely, while enabling merchants to operate more efficiently and confidently.”

Expanding Reach: Urban And Rural Impact

Hitachi Payment Services, with extensive expertise in digital transactions, teams up with Airtel Payments Bank’s massive merchant network to deliver a secure, reliable payment infrastructure. The Soundbox solution targets businesses in both urban and rural markets, helping even small retailers operate with confidence in a digital-first environment.

Anuj Khosla, Chief Executive Officer – Digital Business, Hitachi Payment Services, remarked, “We are proud to partner with Airtel Payments Bank to deliver an end-to-end Soundbox solution. By combining our expertise in digital payments with the strong merchant network of Airtel Payments Bank, we are together enabling merchants across urban and rural India to experience the distinct benefits of innovative digital payment technology. Our comprehensive offering instills trust, enhances efficiency, and fosters growth for merchants in an increasingly digital-first world.”

A local merchant in Mumbai shares, “Since adopting the Soundbox, I receive instant voice alerts for every transaction, even during busy hours. It’s helped avoid confusion and keeps my customers reassured with audio confirmations in their language.”

The nationwide Soundbox deployment, launched earlier in 2024, now expands rapidly through the new partnership, responding to the rising appetite for secure, inclusive digital payments. Airtel Payments Bank continues to work with multiple tech partners as uptake grows, positioning the innovation at the heart of India’s merchant payments transformation.