14 DAY TRIAL // Today, wireless carrier Everything Everywhere, the joint-venture of Orange and T-Mobile UK, and Barclaycard announced the upcoming availability of a contactless mobile phone payment solution for UK customers, the first of the kind to be launched in the country.
The move would provide users with greater simplicity, convenience and control, while also changing the manner in which payments are made on UK high streets, by early summer (starting with the second quarter of the ongoing year).
“This is the beginning of a revolution in how we pay for things on the high street. It’s a cultural shift that is as important as the launch of the personal credit card or ATMs,” Gerry McQuade, Chief Development Officer, Everything Everywhere, said.
“We’re making something that’s been talked about for many years a reality and very soon, using your mobile to buy a sandwich, a cinema ticket or in time, even something bigger like a computer will simply be the norm.
Customers would have the possibility to use their mobile phones to pay for goods and services at over 40,000 retailers through the new offering from Orange and Barclaycard.
All of these companies make use of the said contactless technology (NFC, or Near Field Communication), through which one would be able to pay for a purchased good through simply waving the handset against a contactless reader.
Moreover, the companies announced that the new contactless mobile payment technology was meant to make sure that customers’ transactions and personal data are kept protected and secure.
“The launch proposition will focus on an industry backed, SIM-based approach to payments ensuring enhanced security for customers, as well as to initially provide a single point of customer care contact,” Everything Everywhere and Barclaycard announced.
The duo also unveiled the fact that MasterCard will be the company to provide the payment capabilities for all of the contactless mobile transactions.
“Contactless mobile phone payments will feature as part of the wider Orange portfolio of products, developed in conjunction with Barclaycard, and which already features a contactless co-branded credit card as well as the forthcoming contactless Orange Cash prepaid payment card,” the carrier announced.