Contactless Smart Cards, RFID, Payment, Transit and Security

Orange delays NFC launch

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Mobile operator Orange is postponing its commercial NFC launch by several months, according to CardLine Global.

Orange was going to begin commercial rollout of the service during the first quarter of 2008, but technical problems with the infrastructure among retailers, transit operators and other service providers have set it back.


Last June, Orange France was the first telecommunications company to to launch NFC commercially. Orange plans to enable subscribers to tap their phones for retail payments, to pay for public transportation and other tasks. Industry experts had expected that NFC rollouts could begin around the world by middle of 2008. [end] 

India transport operator Ahmedabad Janmarg Ltd. has launched a smart transit card for commuters traveling on the region’s bus system, according to ISO&Agent.

The agency began a six-month trial and August 2010 followed by a soft and silent launch in January 2012. The card is available now for a nonrefundable fee of 25 rupees ($.50 US cents) and allows commuters to travel for up to 100 minutes on one bus, for the minimum fare.

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SITA, an IT provider for the air travel industry, has unveiled its first proof-of-concept for a solution that enables travelers to check in at the airport, gain access to members’ lounges and board their flight all with a simple tap of an NFC-enabled phone.

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UK mobile operator O2 is delaying the launch of its “O2 Wallet” mobile contactless payments, loyalty and transit app due to concerns that it is “not yet offering an adequate customer experience,” reports MarketingWeek.

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UK-regional bus group Bluestar has launched a new transit card for discounted weekly and monthly travel on its network, according to Southern Daily Echo.

The new card enables cashless fare for any service on the Bluestar Network in Southampton, Eastleigh and Winchester. It also supports travel on Wilts & Dorset buses and Southern Vectis on the Isle of Wight, both of which are owned and operated by Go-Ahead Group.

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Russia has pushed back the launch of its universal eID card to January 2013, reports The Moscow Times.

Originally scheduled to roll out this month, the card is supposed to function as an electronic ID, driver’s license, proof of auto insurance, ATM card and immigration document, along with other possible features.

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The French government has shortlisted Paris and 16 other major cities for a €20 million grant that will be used to deliver NFC mobile ticketing solutions for public transportation.

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