The NFC SIM card is losing its fight against embedded secure elements and host card emulation (HCE) technologies which are “continuing to gain momentum due to ongoing interest from banks, financial institutions and transportation authorities,” ABI Research says... More
SIM
Deutsche Telekom shuts down NFC SIM-based mobile payments service in Germany
Deutsche Telekom has discontinued its NFC-based MyWallet mobile payment service in Germany, citing a lack of customer use and doubts over whether a SIM-based solution is going to be adopted as a standard in light of “internationally competing companies” investing heavily in competing approaches... More
New guidelines to ‘simplify’ Mobile Connect service
Trade association SIMalliance has published a set of guidelines allowing mobile network operators and service and solution providers to more easily deploy Mobile Connect, which aims to provide a universal phone-based identity and authentication service to consumers worldwide... More
German MNO begins SIM-based NFC mobile payments pilot
Vodafone Germany customers are testing NFC mobile payments using their Girocard — the most common debit card in the country — through Vodafone Wallet... More
DigiTally project enables mobile money transfers without network coverage
A project enabling mobile money transfers to take place at the point of sale in areas of less-developed countries with poor or no mobile network coverage has been unveiled, by removing the reliance on SMS messaging, and, instead, allowing two people to conduct a payment by copying short authentication codes between their phones... More
Optus adds smart coffee cup to contactless payments range
Australian mobile network operator Optus has updated its range of contactless payment accessories to include a SmartCup — a coffee cup that includes the new Optus Pay PayTag in its base allowing consumers to make contactless payments up to US$100 at any payment terminal that accepts Visa PayWave... More
Videotron launches SIM-based NFC mobile payments
Customers of Canadian mobile network operator Videotron with a Desjardins Visa card can now use their mobile phones to make NFC payments of up to $100 (US$77) at any contactless terminal... More
Canadian NFC mobile wallet SureTap to close down
The SIM-based NFC Canadian mobile wallet SureTap is to be discontinued in August 2016 due to “ongoing changes in the market”, the mobile wallet provider has announced. More
Semble discontinues SIM-based NFC mobile wallet in New Zealand
Semble, the SIM-based NFC mobile wallet launched in New Zealand by two banks, three carriers and payments network Paymark, is to be discontinued, the mobile wallet company has confirmed. Semble says it now aims to “refocus the business to develop and build new services”. More
Vodafone Wallet launches NFC mobile ticketing in Albacete
Commuters in the Spanish city of Albacete can now add their PayBus Albacete transport card to the Vodafone Wallet app and validate their journeys by tapping their NFC device against a contactless terminal on board. More
AFSCM to launch NFC services across France with key MNOs
French NFC trade association AFSCM has partnered with three major mobile network operators to roll out SIM-based NFC services in France. The association is working with Oberthur Technologies (OT) to build a common hub with Bouygues Telecom, Orange and SFR which will enable a “massive launch of NFC services” in the country. More
Vodafone Italia adds NFC mobile payments with PayPal
Customers of Vodafone Italia can now make NFC mobile payments through PayPal using the mobile network operator’s Vodafone Wallet. The service will allow for in-store payments at any Visa contactless terminal across the country. More
Erste Bank launches range of NFC payment options in Austria
Customers of Erste Bank und Sparkassen in Austria will now be able to make NFC payments using a wristband, sticker or mobile app launched by the bank. All three payment methods are available countrywide and can also be used to make withdrawals at the first NFC-enabled Erste Bank ATM in Vienna. More
Polish bank gets HCE mobile payments through First Data and Bell ID
PARTNER NEWS: Customers of Eurobank Poland can now make host card emulation (HCE) based mobile payments as a result of a collaboration between First Data Poland and tokenization and mobile payment specialist Bell ID which offers cloud-based mobile payments as a service to Polish banks... More
Gemalto analyses success of SK Telecom’s NFC service
PARTNER NEWS: A case study of South Korean mobile network operator SK Telecom’s NFC-based mobile wallet which explores the reasons behind its success is now available from digital security giant Gemalto... More
Singtel Dash mobile payments service adds NFC transit
Singapore mobile network operator Singtel has made NFC transport payments and top-ups available through its Singtel Dash mobile payments platform. Deals and rewards have also been added as well as overseas money transfers. More
NFC SIM shipment remains static in 2015 due to Softcard closure
The global number of NFC SIM card shipments remained static during 2015 following the closure of the Softcard mobile wallet in the US last year, the SIMalliance has revealed, despite reporting significant NFC SIM growth across Asia and Europe. More
Singapore commuters get NFC payments
Customers of mobile network operators M1, Singtel and StarHub can now pay for journeys on public transport services in Singapore with a tap of their NFC device as a result of a partnership between the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and transport card issuer EZ-Link. More
Indosat Ooredoo to launch NFC payments in Indonesia
Telecoms provider Indosat Ooredoo is to launch an NFC-based mobile payment service in Indonesia next month, Detik iNet reports... More
Austria gets nationwide SIM-based NFC mobile payment service
Austrians can now make SIM-based NFC mobile payments using a new nationwide mobile payment service launched by Payment Services Austria (PSA) and supported by Austria Card... More