Malaysia: Maxis Launches FastTap NFC-based Mobile Payment Service

Maxis Communications Bhd, in collaboration with Nokia, Visa, Maybank and Touch 'n Go, has announced the launch of Maxis FastTap - calling it "an integrated mobile payment service that utilises Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. With the service, customers can use their Nokia 6216 Classic phones to purchase goods and services at more than 1,800 Visa payWave merchant locations as well as pay for toll, transit, parking and theme park charges at over 3,000 Touch 'n Go points nationwide."

The service is currently offered with the Nokia 6216 Classic phone that is embedded with an NFC chip to enable secure, contactless payments and transactions, as well as to able to read and download information, it said in a statement today.
According to Maxis, the launch of the FastTap service marked a few "first-in-the-world" milestones for contactless mobile payments using NFC, a shot-range wireless technology that allows communications between devices at close range.
"It is the first global service that integrates mutiple NFC applications for contactless cedit card payment and Touch 'n Go electronic payment for transit, toll an parking payment on the same device," it said.
The technology is first commercial use in the world that features over-the-air personalisation of credit card information over a mobile service operator's network using the Trusted Service Manager interface, the company said.
It is also the first global commercial service using Visa payWave and on a Nokia mobile phone, it said.
"The launch of Maxis FastTap is a landmark achievement in our efforts to constantly bring innovation that can positively impact the lives of Malaysian mobile users," said Maxis chief executive officer Sandip Das.

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