Pay-by-phone parking

[1] Since its introduction in Croatian capital Zagreb in 2001 under the name M-parking, the number of registered users has steadily increased.

Then the driver can either call the pay-by-phone service provider (via a toll free number) or use their mobile application.

Using a mobile phone to pay for parking will be as simple as tapping a NFC embedded logo.

Some mobile payment providers, and at the discretion of the parking operator (e.g., local council), drivers can opt to receive a text message several minutes before their expiry of their parking session, enabling them to extend the session without returning to their car.

Since transactions are submitted digitally, providers have access to information regarding each customer's parking sessions.

With this data, legal challenges and complaints can be significantly reduced and enforcement can be handled more accurately and efficiently.

As 3G networks are shut down, pay and display machines that rely on a 3G connection will need to be expensively upgraded or replaced.

[8] The use of pay-by-phone parking has been criticised in the British media for isolating elderly and customers who are less likely to own a smartphone and are more likely to rely on cash if no alternatives are provided.

Parking apps require much more personal information of the drivers using them than alternatives which makes them the target of hackers such as when EasyPark Group was hacked in December 2023 leaking customer's names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and partial payment information.