SMART CARDS

5, Country, Mobile, Priority, SINGAPORELeave a comment

Frost & Sullivan analysis entitled “Strategic Assessment Of The Asia
Pacific Smart Card Markets Outlook” has concluded the Asia Pacific
region is starting to accept new smart card technology. This
demonstrates system integrators are realizing the need for proper
planning/coordination to generate revenue while smart card companies are
looking to establish advantages in countries with untapped potential.
Fast development and implementation of the contactless applications is
credited to most of the countries in the region not having legacy
systems, subsequently leading, however, to issues of standardization and
interoperability across the market. These issues include delays in
project execution. Frost & Sullivan partners with clients to accelerate
their growth through its more than 30 offices across the globe.

MONTISE EXEC

5, Country, Mobile, Priority, UNITED KINGDOMLeave a comment

Montise mobile banking and payment technology has appointed Ron
Drakeas as the VP of Business Development, bringing with him over
20 years’ experience in financial services. In his newly-appointed role,
Ron will oversee the development of the Company’s SEPA strategy
and lead electronic payment provider relationships. Drakeas’ 13-year
career as Managing Director of eFunds International, succeeding
managing director positions with Cincom Systems Ltd and Platinum
Financials respectively, has afforded the new VP well-established relations with
European retail banks and processors. Montise services span UK and
US territories with its “MONILINK” and Monitise networks in
partnership with VocaLink and Metavante Corporation, providing
secure mobile banking & payment services.

TICKET TEXT

5, Country, IRELAND, Mobile, PriorityLeave a comment

Ticket Text mobile technology will be selling admission for Fulham
Football Club’s home games the 2007/08 season through its website
for mobile phone SMS distribution. With the company’s “mobile ticketing”,
customers receive the Fulham ticket in the form of a text message which is
then scanned at the ticket gate for event admittance. Ticket Text is based
in Ireland with a dynamic approach to ticketing and provides customers
with tickets for concerts, sport, theaters, galleries and exhibitions
throughout
Europe. Fulham FC was founded in 1879 and is the oldest professional
football team in London.

INFOCOMMUNICATION UNION COUNCIL

5, Country, Mobile, Priority, RUSSIALeave a comment

The Infocommunication Union Council has announced a project to develop
a mobile payments project to allow payment over mobile communication
networks. This comes with the approval of the Universal payment concept to
pay for goods and services using the existing and advanced communication
network providing the testing of micro- and macro payments and NFC
technology. The project is being developed with mobile operators such as
VimpelCom, Delta Telecom, MegaFon, MTS and Moscow Cellular
Communication, Svyaz-Bank and the bank Tavrichesky and Mobile Payment
Systems to provide RF citizen access to modern payment services.

SIM NFC TRIAL

5, Country, Mobile, Priority, TAIWANLeave a comment

Gemalto & Far EasTone Telecommunications have partnered for the
launch of their mobile contactless SIM-based NFC trial in November.
This will allow subscribers of Far EasTone to make purchases using
their mobile handsets with any of the company’s merchant partners. This
trial is being launched in conjunction with a trial for “smart posters”,
which
promote and allow shoppers to download coupons by waiving their NFC
phone in front of the poster promotion for a discount application at the
time of purchase. Commercial rollout for the solution will not be until
2008 and will gradually be introduced, initially, by 7-Eleven, Shin Kong
Mitsukoshi department store, vending machines from HeySong and rail
transport operated by Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation. Gemalto
had 2006 annual revenues of EUR 1.7 billion with over 85 offices in 40
countries and nearly 10,000 employees while Far EasTone
Telecommunications is a wireless service provider in Taiwan.

MASTERCARD & SEPA

5, BELGIUM, Country, Mobile, PriorityLeave a comment

MasterCard has designed a SEPA Development Program for banks and retailers
currently implementing the Europe-wide payment program. For these
establishments,
the MasterCard Development Program will leverage the benefits of local
programs
and provide new solutions. MasterCard Europe has identified 149 card
features in
separate countries to provide the SEPA solution cost effectively, on a
microeconomic
level. These “best in class” categories include, for example, the
easiest â˜PIN change at
ATM’, the most convenient ‘mobile phone top-up’, and the most secure â˜mail
order/telephone order’solutions. In doing so, however, MasterCard
maintains the
overall SEPA features, including the electronic purse. “E-purse”
Migration through
MasterCard PayPass provides globally inter-operative payment solutions,
regardless
of the card currency. Additionally, MasterCard Europe’s “combo card” has
been
introduced with 5 banks in Finland. The “combo card” will serve as a
multi-function
payment card to combine debit and credit accounts, determined at the
time of
purchase by the cardholder. MasterCard Europe works with 51 European
countries
for the incorporation of (SEPA) and is a division of Mastercard.
MasterCard processes
over 16 billion transactions annually and serves consumers and
businesses in more than
210 countries and territories.

MASTERCARD & SEPA

5, BELGIUM, Country, Mobile, PriorityLeave a comment

MasterCard has designed a SEPA Development Program for banks and retailers
currently implementing the Europe-wide payment program. For these
establishments,
the MasterCard Development Program will leverage the benefits of local
programs
and provide new solutions. MasterCard Europe has identified 149 card
features in
separate countries to provide the SEPA solution cost effectively, on a
microeconomic
level. These “best in class” categories include, for example, the
easiest ‘PIN change at
ATM’, the most convenient ‘mobile phone top-up’, and the most secure mail
order/telephone order-solutions. In doing so, however, MasterCard
maintains the
overall SEPA features, including the electronic purse. “E-purse”
Migration through
MasterCard PayPass provides globally inter-operative payment solutions,
regardless
of the card currency. Additionally, MasterCard Europe’s “combo card” has
been
introduced to 5 banks in Finland. The “combo card” will serve as a
multi-function
payment card to combine debit and credit accounts, determined at the
time of
purchase by the cardholder. MasterCard Europe works with 51 European
countries
for the incorporation of (SEPA) and is a division of Mastercard.
MasterCard processes
over 16 billion transactions annually and serves consumers and
businesses in more than
210 countries and territories.

CITIBANK WORLD PRIVILEGES

5, Country, MALAYSIA, Mobile, PriorityLeave a comment

Citibank has introduced the “Citibank World Privileges on Mobile” which
informs customers of relevant discount offers from 40,000 merchants in over
40 countries. The service informs consumers of discounts available in
shopping, dining, travel, and hotels and is only compatible with mobile
phones
that have GPRS, EDGE or 3G, are “Java software Mobile Information Device
Profile” (MIDP) compliant. The requisite phone must also have a minimum of
700kb of available phone memory. Citibank has a 20% market share in the
region and over a million credit cardholders with nearly a 90% brand
awareness
in Malaysia. The new service is available through over 1,000 merchants in
Malaysia and is expected to attract 100,000 users over the next two
years. Citi
currently has more than 145 million cards in 40 countries.

Citi Gives Intl Executives Mobile Credit

5, Country, Mobile, Priority, UNITED STATESLeave a comment

Citi has launched an innovative new program to provide international executives with mobile credit. The new “Global Executive Banking” program will use cross border client credit references to provide credit cards to executives upon arrival in the destination country. Citi says it is an industry first. The program was launched in the U.S., the U.K. and Singapore, but will expand to additional countries throughout the year. Clients will work with dedicated staff who manage their finances and provide access to banking products, funds transfers, credit cards and personal loans for clients on, or as near as possible to, arrival, while complying with local regulations and privacy laws.

GSMA Launches a Pay-Buy Mobile Initiative

5, Country, Mobile, Priority, SPAINLeave a comment

GSM Association (GSMA), the global trade organization for mobile
operators, has announced a pay-by-phone initiative by combining payment
card technology with Near-Field-Communication(NFC) in a cell phone.
Participating in the initiative are fourteen mobile operators with the
collective intention of facilitating payments through cell phones and
offering secure, transparent mobile payments for both customers and
financial institutions. These payments are to be made using a SIM
Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) card in mobile phones plus
contactless/NFC technology.

Oberthur Rolls Out FIPS 201 Smart Card

5, Country, FRANCE, Mobile, PriorityLeave a comment

Oberthur Card Systems has become the first provider of
a “FIPS 201” certified smart card. With this certification, Government
Agencies and other organizations now have a commercial source of dual
interface smart cards to meet requirements as part of Homeland Security
Presidential Directive 12. Oberthur Card Systems government smart card
products are manufactured and personalized in the United States in ISO
certified environments; a significant advantage for agencies looking for
a shared services provider of ID credentialing.

MOBILE OFFICA

5, Country, JAPAN, Mobile, PriorityLeave a comment

JCB is set to launch its wireless corporate solution in the fall of this year. Built around Sony’s “FeliCa” contactless IC chip technology, “Mobile Offica” includes a suite of functions including employee identification, office and network access, and cashless payment. “Mobile Offica” marks the first time that mobile phones incorporating a contactless chip enabling credit card payment will be available in Japan. Advanced postpay functionality is provided by linking to the employee’s own credit card account. “Mobile Offica” also enables users with i-mode capable phones to monitor outstanding credit card balances and view detailed transaction histories, and users may be able to request increases in their credit limits on-line. NTT DoCoMo will be releasing i-mode “FeliCa” Service for mobile wallet applications, including train pass and e-money, on four i-mode smart-card handset models, in early July.