Is internet necessary for UPI? Learn how to send money without data

In digital India, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become our first habit for everyday transactions from tea stalls to big shopping malls. Usually, while running apps like Google Pay, PhonePe or Paytm on a smartphone, we need high-speed 4G or 5G internet. This is the reason why most people have a strong misconception that UPI cannot work without active internet or Wi-Fi connection. But the reality is that it is not mandatory to have internet to make UPI payment. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has developed the offline UPI system for remote areas, weak network areas and feature phone (keypad mobile) users of the country. Even if your mobile data pack is exhausted or you are in a basement/hilly area with no internet, you can still transfer money to anyone in seconds through a normal mobile network.

The ‘*99#’ service operated by NPCI works on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) technology. This is the same technology by which balance was checked earlier on mobile. This does not require any data pack, smartphone or third-party mobile app. This service is supported by all the major telecom operators of the country (Airtel, Jio, Vi, BSNL) and more than 80 government and private banks. Through this, a secure amount of up to ₹ 5,000 per transaction can be easily sent. There is only one basic condition to use this service—your phone must have an active SIM card which is linked to your bank account.

If you’ve never used offline UPI before, it just takes a one-time, 2-minute setup to get started:

1. Go to the phone’s dialer from your registered mobile number and dial *99#.

2. A list of 13 languages ​​will appear on the screen, select the number of your preferred language (like Hindi or English) and reply.

3. Now enter the first 3 letters of your bank name or 4 letter IFSC code of the bank.

4. The list of bank accounts linked to your mobile number will appear on the screen, select the option number of your account.

5. Enter the last 6 digits and expiry date of your debit card for identity verification.

6. If your UPI PIN is already created then the same PIN will be used, otherwise you can set a new UPI PIN.

Once the setup is complete, whenever you want to make an offline payment, follow the process given below:

1. Dial *99# from the phone dialer.

2. An interactive pop-up menu will open on the screen, showing several options. to send money 1 (Send Money) Press and click send.

3. You will then be asked through which mode you want to send the money—mobile number (1), UPI ID (3) or bank account and IFSC (5). Enter the number as per your convenience.

4. Enter the receiver’s mobile number or UPI ID.

5. Enter the amount you want to send (maximum ₹5,000) and enter a remark.

6. Finally enter your 4 or 6 digit secure UPI PIN. As soon as you submit the PIN, a transaction successful message will appear on the screen and the money will be deducted from your account and immediately transferred to the other person’s account.

*99# code is not limited to just sending money, but through it you can also do many other important banking tasks without internet:

• Balance Check: You can know the available balance of your bank account by pressing number 3 in the menu.

• Mini Statement: You can view details of the last 5 transactions made recently.

• Pin Management: If needed, you can change your UPI PIN in offline mode only.

Apart from this, payment can also be made through voice call (IVR Number) through ‘UPI 123PAY’ service launched by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Under this, money can be sent offline to any merchant or individual by simply making a normal call on the official number of NPCI (like 08045163666 or 6366200200), following the computer voice instructions, pressing the number and entering the PIN.

Although offline UPI works on a completely secure and encrypted network of NPCI, there are some basic things that need to be kept in mind while using it. Never share your UPI PIN with any unknown person or over phone call. While transferring money, the recipient’s name appears on the screen for confirmation, make sure to check the name correctly before proceeding. Some telecom operators may deduct a nominal fee (maximum 50 paise) per request for USSD sessions. If ever your internet pack runs out during travel or the app does not open due to technical fault, then this offline system becomes the biggest emergency support for you.