MTS and Lukoil use NFC to streamline paying at the pump

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.

Lukoil
LUKOIL: Customers use NFC to request and pay for an exact amount of fuel

Mobile network operator MTS and Lukoil, one of Russia’s largest oil companies, have introduced a service that lets customers pre-set the amount of fuel they wish to buy on their NFC phone. Drivers then tap their handset to a contactless reader built into the fuel pump to communicate how much fuel they want and to make payment.

The ‘rapid charging’ project is now live at a Lukoil gas station in the city of Perm on a trial basis with employees of MTS and Lukoil. The service will be open to any MTS subscriber from November and there are plans to then extend the service to filling stations in other regions of the country.

The service is compatible with a wide range of NFC phones and MTS subscribers can also purchase a Copni SIM+antenna bridging solution made by On Track Innovations to add NFC functionality to their existing mobile phones.

“One of the main principles of MTS is to develop innovative mobile services that bring new capabilities to our customers and improve their quality of life,” says Vadim Savchenko, the company’s vice president of sales and service. “Today we have with our partners in Russia for the first time presented a commercial implementation of payment services through NFC technology… Russia is in step with world trends and, in the near future, MTS customers will be able to appreciate the convenience of ‘one touch’ cashless payments with their mobile phones not only at Lukoil gas stations, but also by public transport.”

“For Lukoil, the introduction of innovative payment systems is an important element in creating a comfortable environment for customers buying at a service station,” said Vladimir Dmitriev, general director of Lukoil. “NFC technology, introduced at the gas station, greatly accelerates the filling process, allowing the car owner in a few seconds to pay for their purchase.”

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