ContactlessNews | London's O2 Arena rolls out contactless payments

Monday, November 28, 2011

The O2 Arena in London has teamed up with Barclaycard and Visa Europe to introduce contactless technology in more than 250 card payment terminals across the venue.

O2 attendees can now complete purchases of £15 or less on anything from refreshments to merchandise with just a tap of their contactless credit or debit card.

According to O2, 75% of electronic transactions processed in the arena’s concessions on show nights are under £15. Therefore, introducing contactless payments should result in shorter lines at bars, restaurants, merchandise stands, and even in the parking lot.

“The hospitality sector, with high volume low value transactions, and often lengthy queues, is the perfect environment for a technology that makes it quicker and easier for people to make payments,” said Richard Armstrong, head of payment acceptance at Barclaycard. “As a result, we’re confident that contactless technology will prove popular with visitors to The O2 Arena.”

WHSmith rolls out contactless payments

British retailer WHSmith announced that it will be introducing contactless payments across 46 of its UK stores by Spring 2012, according to Retail Gazette.

In partnership with Visa Europe and Streamline, initial contactless payments will be deployed at WHSmith stores located at major travel hubs: the Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airport stores in London and shops at Main Line railway stations across the UK.

Samsung, Visa to showcase NFC payments with London 2012 athletes

Samsung and Visa are providing their sponsored athletes and trialists at the London 2012 Olympic Games with special edition Samsung Galaxy S III handsets equipped with Visa’s payWave NFC payments application.

Asda supermarket trials contactless payments

Asda Stores Ltd., a British supermarket chain, is planning to trial contactless payment technology in 25 of its stores, according to Computerworld UK.

The contactless systems will be supplied by both Visa and payment value chain Streamline. Customers will be to simply tap the reader with their contactless-enabled card to pay for goods up to £15, rising to £20 June 1, potentially reducing queue times.

OTI to deliver 30,000 NFC readers in the U.S.

On Track Innovations (OTI) has received an order for 30,000 of its NFC and contactless payment readers for deployment in the U.S.

OTI did not reveal who will receive the readers, but assured that the devices would be used to support the migration towards contactless payments and NFC in the U.S.

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