Gemalto adds AMEX, Mastercard and Visa certs to its UpTeq NFC SIM
Gemalto has been in the NFC SIM business for a while now, adding the possibility of mobile payments to any GSM phone that'll support it. Now it's become even more legit with the addition of AMEX ExpressPay, MasterCard PayPass and Visa payWave certifications to its UpTeq NFC SIM, which is supposedly the first ever NFC SIM to get all three certs. Already in use in Orange France, the high-end SIM lets carriers tailor their own NFC deployments; for example, Singapore operators will add CEPAS, a local payment system alongside the major credit brands, while other carriers like KDDI in Japan and Rogers in Canada will get customizations to fit local requirements. Services like coupon redemption, loyalty programs and transit cards are potential add-ons depending on the market. Now that most carriers around the globe are slowly getting on board the NFC train, a cash-toting wallet could be a relic of the past sooner than we think. You can get the full Gemalto release after the break.
Show full PR text
Gemalto's UpTeq NFC World's First High-End SIM to Obtain American Express, MasterCard and Visa Certifications
AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
"Combined with the fact that our high availability Trusted Service Management centers in Singapore, the US and France have received certification by MasterCard and Visa, Gemalto is offering a unique service footprint to support mobile NFC deployment anywhere in the world."
Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces that its UpTeq NFC high-end SIM has obtained certifications from the three largest global payment networks - American Express (AMEX), MasterCard and Visa, in addition to previous certification by EMVCo. Available in all form factors for 2G, 3G and 4G handsets, the UpTeq NFC supports contactless payment and other secure services via AMEX ExpressPay, MasterCard PayPass and Visa payWave, providing unmatched flexibility to service providers and end users.
The UpTeq NFC has been certified with the widest scope of functionalities possible. With an optimized delta certification for product approval, this secure service platform can be tailored to fit the needs of each individual NFC deployment. Following the Singapore NFC launch in August, the fully certified UpTeq NFC is now being deployed by Singapore's three mobile operators – M1, SingTel and StarHub – and will also support CEPAS1, a local payment standard used for small value purchases. The high end SIM will also be customized for the local requirements of KDDI in Japan, Rogers in Canada and Orange in France, amongst others.
The UpTeq NFC acts as a tamper-proof secure element for consumers' confidential credentials and payment data and is a crucial part of enabling NFC transactions. The strict requirements needed to obtain certification from AMEX, MasterCard and Visa translates into confidence for end users. The flexibility from easy 'onboarding' – the addition of new NFC services - also makes it attractive for new high value services such as mobile identification, coupon redemption, loyalty programs and transit cards. The availability of this fully certified NFC SIM on the market provides a strategic time-to-market advantage for mobile operators and banks looking to deploy NFC massively.
