Russia

The computer giant has partnered with Russia's Skolkovo Foundation to create a Science and Technology Center that will work on intelligent operations, technology for the oil and gas industry and on "the creation of security-rich and customizable mobile payment transactions for use across a number of industries including telco, retail and banking." More

MTS, Russia's leading telecommunications operator, has signed an agreement with MasterCard to develop NFC mobile contactless services. "The partnership with MasterCard is aimed at creating conditions in Russia for the most extensive development of NFC... More

Russian mobile network operator MTS and oil company Lukoil have developed an NFC system that lets drivers enter on their phone how much fuel they wish to buy and then tap it to the pump to get and pay for the exact amount requested. More

The Russian bank and mobile network operator have created a new payments system called RuRu that will begin with mobile and ecommerce, P2P transfers and mobile remittances. NFC services will follow "in the near future." More

The Russian telecoms giant has partnered with the NFC specialist to allow St Petersburg commuters to use their mobile phones to pay for their tickets, in the first stage of a planned national NFC service. More

The NFC Test Zone announced in December 2009 by leading Russian mobile network operators is now set to go live in November, eMoney News reports, with a ticketing pilot on the Moscow rail-air link operated... More

Mobile marketing, payments and commerce specialist i-Free has become the first Russian firm to join the NFC Forum. Headquartered in St Petersburg, i-Free has offices in Moscow, Mumbai, Sao Paolo, Beijing, Kiev and Almaty and... More

News in brief from the NFC world and beyond: First Osaifu-Keitai smartphone • Antenna designer broadcasts Samsung success • St Petersburg metro test • NFC is key to BMW's Connected Drive • NFC Forum's new member • Gauthier moves to PayPal • Toro and Collis partner up • and more... More

MTS subscribers will be able to visit special kiosks at Moscow Metro stations to equip their phones with a SIM+antenna solution that enables them to charge their travel costs to their mobile phone bill.  More

Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, is planning to run an NFC trial in Moscow later this year, Russian business publication Kommersant reports. Both the Russian national railway operator RZD and the Moscow Metro have expressed interest in participating in... More

VimpelCom, MegaFon, MTS and Moskovskaya Sotovaya Svyaz are teaming up to develop an NFC Test Zone in Russia and will begin with an NFC ticketing pilot in the summer of 2010. More

The head of Russia's largest bank briefed the country's President Dmitry Medvedev on the concept of mobile contactless payments last week — and explained that he is looking to launch a non-contact mobile payments system by 2011/12. More