Contactless Smart Cards, RFID, Payment, Transit and Security

Oyster could be replaced by mobile phones or bank cards

Thursday, October 23, 2008

London’s popular Oyster card could be replaced by a phone or bank card by 2010, according to Transport for London which oversees the program. A TfL spokesperson told the London Assembly that the agency is looking at several alternatives and providers when the contract for Transys, the consortium which runs the Oyster system, is terminated.

Earlier this year TfL Nokia and phone network O2, Visa and TranSys piloted a program, later deemed successful, to allow customers to pay for their journeys with their mobile phones. Barclaycard also has a deal with Transys to provide Oyster functionality as part of its OnePulse contactless debit card. That contract too will expire in 2010. Read more here[end] 

The Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council has published a white paper examining how the transit industry can best make use of NFC technology.

“One of the major challenges facing transit agencies today is how to capitalize on the ever-growing popularity of mobile phones with a solid mobile strategy,” said Transportation Council Chairman Craig Roberts. “This white paper builds on the knowledge base developed in earlier white papers to foster a greater understanding of NFC technology, explain its role in the transit industry, and shed light on key issues facing the transit industry in developing a mobile strategy.”

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UK train operator, First Capital Connect’s proposal to extend the Oyster Travelcard and Pay As You Go schemes to St. Albans has been shot down by the government’s Department for Transport.

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West Midlands is getting set to introduce an Oyster-style bus ticketing system that would enable passengers to easily transfer between services run by different bus operators.

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Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile operator, has announced the launch of a SIM-based NFC road toll payment application on the Turkcell T11 smart phone.

Developed in collaboration with Bank Asya, the app allows users to migrate their plastic KGS toll payment cards onto their T11 smart phone to pay for fares when crossing bridges and freeway turnpikes.

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KT Corporation, Korea’s largest teleco, is predicting that 20 million NFC-enabled phones will be in the hands of South Koreans by the end of 2012 – accounting for nearly 40% of the country’s total population, according to NFC World.

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MTN Irancell, one of Iran’s mobile operators, has teamed up with Etick Pars Intelligent Technologies and Bank Pasargad to develop a mobile wallet solution for the Iranian Market.

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