VIVOtech Supports Taiwan NFC Mobile Payment Trial
ViVOtech has announced the f"irst deployment of an end-to-end NFC payment and promotion infrastructure software in Taiwan as part of a joint initiative by MasterCard, Taipei Fubon Bank and Taiwan Mobile. The three companies are launching a broad NFC mobile phone payment pilot program based on ViVOtech technologies in the region."
ViVOtech’s over-the-air (OTA) infrastructure solution, ViVOnfc Suite 2.0, enables program participants to securely download Taipei Fubon MasterCard® PayPass™ cards, as well as incentive promotions and coupons over the cellular networks directly to their NFC mobile phones. Available for the first time, coupons are also downloaded using NFC technology by simply touching mobile phones on smart posters located throughout the region and at retailer’s storefronts.“ViVOtech is proud to deliver trial participants an industry first integrated NFC payment and promotion solution that showcases the mobile phone as a value added payment device, making NFC one step closer to commercial availability for consumer transactions” said Michael Mullagh, ViVOtech CEO. “ViVOtech over-the-air (OTA) infrastructure assures that issuers and retailers are able to work in unison with cellular carriers to deliver better value and ease of use to their customers.”
The trial participants in the program use the ViVOwallet software application on their NFC mobile phones to view and select cards for payment and coupons for redemption ViVOpay-enabled point of sale systems. These contactless systems are installed at some of the most prestigious retailers throughout Taipei and are used by just touching the mobile phone to ViVOpay readers to transfer card or coupon information.
NFC is a very short-range proximity technology that uses radio frequency (RF) to enable secure, contactless communication between devices. Contactless payments are only one of the many data-transfer applications that NFC technology enables, making it an attractive technology for carriers looking to increase handset utility for consumers.
MasterCard PayPass offers consumers a convenient alternative to cash that allows for small-ticket purchases to be completed quickly, securely and easily. Consumers no longer need to fumble for cash and coins, swipe a card, or sign a receipt for any PayPass purchase under US$25. Users simply tap their PayPass-enabled phone, card, or device on the PayPass reader at participating merchants and they are on their way.
This is good news on the expansion of mobile phone payment trials with the MasterCard PayPass product. There is a NYC Mobile Trial in New York which is a collaboration between, Citibank, MasterCard, Nokia and Cingular, a US wireless carrier.
The website is: http://www.mastercard.com/us/paypass/mobile/index.html
The phone that is being used is the Nokia 6131 with NFC in the NYC Mobile Trial. It is a prototype Nokia phone, and I am surprised that it appears this trial in Taiwan they are using a Nokia 3220, which was also used in a similar trial in Dallas, Texas and supposedly does not have NFC technology and is essentially a phone cover add-on to enable the PayPass function.
Although, this phone negative is made up for by the fact that merchant coupons and discounts can be stored and redeemed via the phone itself in the Taiwan trial---no more handing over a loyalty cards to be scanned. This is the next step in payment systems—the ability to have loyalty information transmitted and loyalty rewards redeemed within one chip or mobile phone.
Posted by: A. S. | February 08, 2007 at 05:53 AM