The state-owned Ethio telecom and the Immigration & Citizenship Service have signed an agreement to facilitate service payments through the former's Telebirr mobile money platform. Applicants can now pay fees for a new passport, renewal services, and other charges via Telebirr. The Service processes paperwork for up to 2,000 people a day. The agreement is the latest in a string of deals the telecom operator has signed in recent weeks. Last month, Ethio telecom and Ride, a popular taxi-hailing platform, inked a partnership that allows passengers to pay their fares through Telebirr. The mobile money platform has garnered over 19 million subscribers and facilitated transactions valued at around 10 billion Br since it was launched last May.