Contactless Smart Cards, RFID, Payment, Transit and Security

Altair unveils pre-paid PayPass watch

Friday, June 27, 2008

Altair Financial Services, a U.K. prepaid card provider, has launched a wrist watch featuring MasterCard’s PayPass contactless payments technology. The vendor teamed with RFID specialist CardPOS Europe, smart card maker ID Data and watch maker Laks to create the watch.


The watches, which enable users to make low value payments by tapping them against PayPass readers, include a feature for easy to use customer SIM card insertion and withdrawal.

The wrist watch format for contactless payment devices has been experimented with in several countries. Last year Turkey’s Garanti Bank issued limited edition PayPass watches to holders of its contactless credit cards, while Taiwan’s Chinatrust Commercial Bank offered a soccer-themed watch with PayPass technology to commemorate the 2006 World Cup. Way back in 2002, U.S. company Speedpass partnered Timex to offer consumers a wristwatch which could be used for payments at Exxon-Mobil gas stations and McDonalds. [end] 

MasterCard and mFoundry have announced a partnership to enable more banks and credit unions around the world to offer customers contactless mobile payments.

The collaboration will combine MasterCard’s PayPass technology with mFoundry’s mobile financial services platform, which is used by more than 560 U.S. banks and credit unions. The resulting service will allow customers to make payments by simply tapping their NFC-enabled phone on any PayPass terminal at a merchant check-out.

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Ed McLaughlin, MasterCard’s head of Emerging Payments, has some good news for those waiting on NFC-enabled phones for contactless payments.

In an interview with Fast Company, McLaughlin said that he didn’t know of a handset maker who wasn’t working on integrating support for PayPass contactless payments.

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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 UK’s YESpay International and YES-wallet.com have teamed up to build an NFC-enabled cloud-based mobile payments platform.

By integrating the YES-wallet Pouch digital wallet with YESpay EMBOSS payment service, the companies will provide a platform that encompasses e-Money, pre-paid and gift-card payments based on Visa PayWave and MasterCard PayPass contactless standards.

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Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile operator, has announced the launch of its Cep-T Cüzdan NFC mobile wallet application on BlackBerry Bold 9900 smart phones.

Turkcell subscribers with NFC-enabled Bold 9900s can now use the mobile wallet service to make contactless payments at any MasterCard PayPass-enabled point of sale across Turkey, as well as abroad.

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Laks has announced the commercial launch of its watch2pay contactless-enabled wristwatch in the UK.

Equipped with MasterCard’s PayPass technology, the watch can be used to make contactless purchases of up to £15 in more than 70,000 UK retailers now accepting PayPass payments.

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