Near Field Communications Handsets and Tags, NFC Pilots and Projects

Dubai First, du pilot NFC in Middle East

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Dubai First, banking subsidiary of Dubai Group, and UAE-based telecom provider du are participating in the first NFC mobile payment pilot in the Middle East.

During the trial phase, Dubai First Platinum MasterCard customers will be able to download their credit card information to specially equipped mobile handsets over du’s mobile network. Customers can then make purchases using their du mobile devices at MasterCard PayPass enabled locations in the United Arab Emirates.


The first pilot group is in the process of receiving special handsets from du in the next 2 weeks. The pilot is scheduled to continue till the second quarter of 2010. [end] 

Office Depot has joined Home Depot as the second U.S. retailer to test PayPal’s point of sale payments solution, according to TG Daily.

Customers at select Office Depot stores can now make payments directly from their PayPal balance by simply punching in their mobile phone number and PayPal PIN. The solution requires only a software update at the point of sale for the merchant, and customers do not need to use a payment card, contactless fob or NFC-enabled phone to make a transaction.

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Visa is teaming up with MTN Group, a teleco operating in Africa and the Middle East, to offer a new mobile prepaid account service that will provide secure financial services and electronic payments to unbanked consumers in developing countries.

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New research commissioned by First Data shows that Poland and the Middle East are more enthusiastic about contactless and mobile payments than UK/Ireland, Australia and Germany.

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Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s largest financial institution, has begun a commercial trial of SIM-based NFC mobile payments, reports NFC World.

The service, dubbed “Move and Pay,” is being tested among 600 Intesa Sanpaolo employees and customers in Milan and Turin, as well as by two academic institutions: The Polytechnic Institute of Milan and Turin ISMB.

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As some may recall back in June 2010, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of New York launched tap-and-go contactless payments for commuters to enter select subway stations and participating bus lines using MasterCard PayPass-enabled terminals. Well, the results are in.

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The Huntsville, Ala. school district is conducting a pilot program that will track when and where students get on and off the bus. Currently, three schools–an elementary, middle and high school–are involved in the pilot.

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