The GSMA has called for full NFC (near field communication) functionality - including the standardised ‘Single Wire Protocol’ interface - to be built into commercially available mobile handsets from mid-2009.
The GSMA made the announcement this week from Macau where its board is meeting at Asia Mobile Congress, and claims the move should ensure that consumers can reap the benefits of mobile payment services as soon as possible.
The GSMA’s Board says it supports the need for the ETSI-endorsed ‘Single Wire Protocol’ standard to provide the interface between the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC, or SIM card) and the embedded NFC chipset within the handset.
The NFC chip can communicate with existing contactless readers to deliver a wide range of secure, interoperable and transparent services, such as credit and debit payments. A series of operator trials – under the GSMA’s ‘Pay-Buy-Mobile’ initiative - have demonstrated that consumers can use UICC-based NFC handsets to quickly, easily and securely pay for goods and services in shops, restaurants and train stations.
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