According to China Mobile's Shanghai branch, its regulations related to micropayments made with mobile phones have been completed and consumers in Shanghai will soon be able to pay with mobile phones in McDonald's and Starbucks.

China Mobile Shanghai said with a new SIM card that integrates the payment function, people in Shanghai can pay with their original mobile phones in the stores of China Mobile's cooperative partners, including McDonald's and Starbucks.

The new SIM cards are expected to realize volume production within two months. At the end of April or the beginning of May 2009, China Mobile Shanghai will invite a group of users to experience this new service first.

A representative from China Mobile Shanghai told local media that users can complete the small-scale payments by placing the mobile phones near the card reader. The costs for the change of a SIM card are between CNY50 and CNY100. The accounts of these new SIM cards are bound with the bank card or credit card accounts of users. Once the money in the SIM cards is used up, they can recharge by simply sending a short message.