Cosmote - online payment

[Seaworthy Lass]

We have have had an internet contract with Greek Cosmote for several years now (the reception is much better than with WIND) and as we tend to anchor off small sparsely populated islands, I have often found it immensely frustrating getting to a Cosmote store regularly to pay for this vital service (I haven't been game to give them free reign on my credit card).

Each time I have visited a Cosmote office I have asked if the bill can be paid online and the answer has always been (and still is) "ohi". Seems to be the favourite word here when I am trying to get something done LOL .

To my great joy I have just found out how to do this. It was a long and tedious process as the English version of the site is not available for viewing of bills once you have registered and logged in, nor is the English version available for making payments, so I thought I would share the process as it may be helpful to other cruisers.

One thing that simplified this process tremendously is you don't actually need to register online to make a payment, as long as you know your 17 digit account number for that month and the payment amount required.

Cosmote internet bills roll over on the 27th of each month, but payment details are generally not available until the next day.

To find out the monthly 17 digit bill number and the amount owing:

If you have a pocket wifi connection:
http://192.168.0.1/login.asp
Log in using password: admin
Select "SMS" in the left column
Select "New Message"
Type "1256" as the phone number
Type "L" as the message and send
When the notice has popped up to say that a new message has arrived, select "SMS" again and click on the box, then "view" to read it. The message is in Greek, but the amount is obvious. Two long numbers are given. The 17 digit one is the one needed.

if you have a USB connection you need to email Cosmote (using the leads on their website) and request your statement number and they will email back within a day or two. Or you can sometimes also get this info if you ring a Cosmote store.

To pay go to: www.cosmote.gr
For English click on "EN" on the top right
On the far right, click on "e-Bill & e-Payment"
Then click on e-Payment "LOGIN" on the right
From here everything is in Greek.
Enter the 17 digit account number in the first box
Enter amount with comma for cents eg 40,00
NOTE: IT WON'T WORK IF YOU ENTER A DOT (took ages to figure this out)
Select card type
Type in code visible
Click on "Epomeno >>"
Then enter credit card details (if using VISA, it needs to be one with a security password)
May need to wait awhile after entering number for it to process it and asked for the visa security code (circle is not spinning so it is not apparent it is thinking)
The new page asks for VISA security code
Then message says payment successful and gives code payment and approval number.
For a receipt in PDF form select the second option at the bottom, or have the receipt emailed by putting your email address into the third option.

Hope this info helps someone.