A new type of mobile phone payment system, which has been on trial since October last year, reveals that 89% of trial users would be happy to continue using their handsets to pay for various everyday services.
02, one of the UK’s largest mobile phone network operators, teamed up with Nokia, Transport for London (TfL) and a range of high street store to offer people in London the chance to use the new system.
500 people were given Nokia 6131 handsets which featured applications for TfL’s Oyster Card and Barclay’s payWave systems.
By taking advantage of near field communications (NFC) technology, users were able to travel on buses, trains and tubes by simply waving their handsets near an Oyster Card reader. Additionally, users were able to shop at a number of stores including the off license chain Threshers and sandwich shop Eat, and make purchase for goods for under £10. This was done by docking the Nokia handset into specially designed console unit.
Nokia also claim that their inbuilt technology is not a drain on the handset battery and the phone would still work for payments – even when switched off.
O2 say that 89 percent of users were happy with the Oyster Card system and a further 66 percent would be happy to continue using the payWave system.
Just about everyone owns a mobile phone these days. Along with a set of keys and wallet or purse, a mobile phone is one of 3 items people are most likely to carry around on a daily basis. Developments of this payment system is certainly something to watch out for.
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