“In 2008, the GSMA Pay-Buy-Mobile initiative called for full NFC functionality including the standardized single-wire protocol to be available from mid-2009, therefore we very much welcome the introduction of this fully standard compliant NFC product by NXP,” said Nav Bains, senior director, Mobile Money, GSM Association.

The PN544, based on the latest NFC specifications from the European Telecommunications Standard Institute, is compliant with all released NFC specifications on the Single Wire Protocol connection with the SIM and the Host Controller Interface. In addition, NXP worked with SIM card manufacturers such as Gemalto, Oberthur and Giesecke & Devrient to ensure SWP interface interoperability including support of the MIFARE technology. The new controller is also backwards compatible and interoperable with the existing contactless infrastructure for payments and ticketing.

“Standardized SIM-based NFC chipsets provide a solid foundation for NFC adoption,” said Jonathan Collins, principal analyst, Short Range Wireless, ABI Research. “They provide handset manufacturers, mobile operators, banks, transport operations and a host of other players, with a platform for their NFC developments.Standardization will also help other organizations align their businesses to support mobile contactless services – stimulating the market further.”