Near Field Communications Handsets and Tags, NFC Pilots and Projects

Fonelabs launches low-cost NFC mobile phone

Monday, February 23, 2009

Malaysia-based Fonelabs has released its newest generation NFC handset that offers MIFARE compatibility. The low-cost phones can be used with most contactless transport applications and can support any financial application relying on smart cards. The X-series phones will be available next month.

The X-Series will also provide single wire protocol compatibility using an NXP Semiconductors NFC controller.

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Netsize has released a new report finding that a majority of survey respondents would use their mobiles to buy big-ticket items.

“Unlocking the Value of Mobile Commerce” includes research on the value amounts that people are ready for and willing to pay through their mobile phone for pricey items that go beyond the usual mix of transport tickets and parking tokens, according to Netsize.

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Silicon Valley-based Cimbal has announced the public launch of its software-based NFC payment network. The network, which the company claims is the first of its kind in the world, enables secure payment and peer-to-peer transactions using a smart phone instead of a plastic card.

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MasterCard’s stock dropped 3.6% on the recent announcement Verizon and AT&T are partnering with Discover and Barclays to launch mobile contactless payment services, but the company says it has its own ventures in diversified payments.

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MarketsandMarkets has released a new report predicting that the value of mobile payment transactions in the US will reach $56 billion in 2015.

According to the report, “Mobile Payment - Advanced Technologies (NFC), Strategies And Future Of Remote & Proximity Payment In US,” the market for NFC mobile payment in the US is currently in its infancy, with an adoption rate of only 1.7%.

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reportedly testing a new NFC-enabled Nokia smart phone, according to phonescoop.com.

The unnamed phone, which Phone Scoop says could feature mobile payment capabilities, also supports Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) on radio bands used by AT&T and T-Mobile’s 3G networks.

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Despite recent moves into mobile payment by giants such as Bank of America and Visa, US merchants may be hesitant to adopt the new technology, according to analysts at Reuters.

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