3GSM The GSM Association has teamed up with Mastercard to launch a pilot program to make it easier for international migrant workers to send money home.

The scheme aims to make it more straightforward for the world's 200 million international migrant workers to easily and securely send remittances to their dependents, many of whom don't have bank accounts (but who do have mobile phones.

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Another goal of the scheme is to service people from south east Asia living in the Middle East.

Smart Communications of the Philippines, for example, plans to work with mobile phone operators and banks in Bahrain, Italy, and other countries hosting large Filipino migrant populations.

In Bahrain, Smart will work in partnership with MTC Vodafone Bahrain and a leading bank in the Middle East. Through the Smart Services Hub, Filipino migrants and contract workers can send funds back to the Philippines using their mobile phones. As part of the GSMA programme, Smart plans to launch a pilot project with MasterCard as an clearing and settlement partner.