A total of 194 online payment users were selected to respond to the structured questionnaire. The partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data by assessing the measurement and model.

Findings

Perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use mediated the relationship between perceived compatibility (PC) and the intention to use the mobile payment for mobile network operators’ services.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis provides insights that PC is considered as a significant determinant for mobile payment of mobile network operators’ services.

Practical implications

The operators can consider factors such as PC in the design of their mobile applications and the potential to expand the m-payment services to others e-wallet such as Sarawak e-wallet. The model possesses medium prediction power, which suggests that other variables such as perceived security and personal innovativeness also can be used to predict the usage behaviour of mobile payment for the mobile network services.

Originality/value

The present study contributes to the m-payment users’ behaviour intention literature by investigating the mobile-based predictors of using m-payment technology in an emerging digital economy state in Sarawak, Malaysia. This study also extends the knowledge of technology acceptance model by introducing the mediation effect of PU and ease of use between the mobile-based predictors and m-payment intention.