In an exciting Australian first, Telstra, NAB and Visa today launched a contactless, mobile phone payments trial with a group of consumers and participating merchants at Melbourne’s Docklands.
This cutting edge technology allows consumers participating in the trial to remotely download their NAB Visa credit card software application onto their Telstra mobile phone SIM card, enabling them to purchase goods and services by waving their mobile phone over a participating NAB merchant’s reader.
Consumers will find Contactless Mobile Payments to be a convenient and easy replacement for cash, ideal for fast, simple, low value transactions under $35 such as buying a coffee, lunch or a magazine. Compared to cash, payment via a Contactless mobile phone provides enhanced transaction security, along with the ability to have the payment application quickly deactivated should the consumer lose their phone.
Telstra Group Managing Director Enterprise and Government, Mr David Thodey, said as a part of our wider engagement, Telstra is providing unique leading-edge mobile payment technology to deliver this ground breaking trial. This 'Australian-first' is another demonstration of Telstra’s commitment to offering world-class experiences and greater choice to our customers. In the future we may be able to provide even greater convenience and choice to our customers by giving them the ability to selectively add cards or accounts to their mobile phone when they choose.
NAB Chief Operating Officer, Retail Banking Ms Lisa Gray, said customers will benefit from the speed and simplicity of using contactless mobile payments.
“Our customers will be able to walk in to a store, select goods to purchase, wave their phone over the reader, see the transaction approved immediately and leave without having to open their wallet. In addition, NAB merchants availing of this new payment option can benefit from the faster transaction times and reduced need for cash handling,” Ms Gray said.
Visa’s General Manager, Australia and New Zealand, Mr Chris Clark, said consumers were already using their mobile phones for music, messaging and high-speed Internet access, and a payment application was a logical next step.
“Mobile phones are one of the most promising new forms of payment in the world today. Research indicates that contactless mobile payments are two to three times faster than an average cash transaction1. As the technology evolves, we expect it will be possible for consumers to use their mobile phones to download electronic coupons tailored to their interests, monitor their accounts, make mobile Internet payments and access other applications that provide a compelling customer experience. We are very positive about the opportunities,” Mr Clark said.
The trial, involving 200 participants and 12 merchants in the Docklands area of Melbourne, will run over the coming months and will enable Telstra, NAB and Visa to assess Australian consumers’ and retailers’ reaction to this innovative payment option.
[1] “Visa Smart Card Deployment Study in Taiwan and Malaysia” conducted by Deloitte in 2006.