Toshiba Corp. has announced a new universal subscriber identity module designed to support NFC in cell phones. The company plans to release samples of the new USIM card in the third quarter of 2009 in anticipation of the worldwide rollout of mobile contactless services forecast for 2010 and 2011. The card will be on display during the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona, Spain, Feb.16-19.

The USIM card meets the latest specifications of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute-Smart Card Platform (ETSI SCP) and the GSM Association (GSMA). It is also compatible with the GSMA’s Pay-Buy-Mobile program and also supports mobile contactless services.