Speaking through the GSMA, providers such as Vodafone and Telefonica say they will aim to launch NFC services in major markets next year
Global operators including Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Orange and Telefonica have voiced their commitment to implement Near Field Communications (NFC) technology.
GSMA chairman and Telecom Italia chief executive Franco Bernabe (pictured) said operators intend to launch commercial NFC services in select markets by next year.
Bernabe said: “NFC represents an important innovation opportunity, and will facilitate a wide range of interesting services and applications for consumers, such as mobile ticketing, mobile couponing, the exchange of information and content, control access to cars, homes, hotels, offices car parks and much more.”
NFC’s contribution to the mobile sector is likely to be significant. Growth consultants Frost and Sullivan predict the total payment value for NFC globally will total more than €110 billion by 2015.
Bernabe said, in order to fully address this opportunity, the operator community was focused on driving the standardised deployment of mobile NFC, using SIMs as the secure element to provide authentication, security and portability.
To achieve this, the GSMA will develop the necessary certification and testing standards to ensure global interoperability of NFC services.
The GSMA said this “interoperability” is critical to the widespread adoption of NFC, enabling users to benefit from NFC services around the world, regardless of operator network or device type.
Bernabe said: “As we have seen, the adoption of different approaches to NFC will only serve to fragment the market.
“By uniting around a single standardised approach to mobile NFC and by collaborating across the entire ecosystem, our industry will continue to develop the compelling services that customers demand.”
