UAE to Witness the Merge of Mobile Services and Payment Technologies

DUBAI, UAE, October 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

At the dawn of the mobile payments era, major telecom operator Etisalat is launching the most advanced mobile commerce technology - NFC (Near-Field Communication).

NFC has been increasing in focus for mobile operators, banks and device manufacturers for quite a long time now, but defining and delivering the right approach is easier said than done. For the past 10 years different stakeholders around the world have been trying to launch and adopt various m-Commerce practices. The challenge is to merge card, mobile device and Sim card together to provide customers with a new efficient and safe way of making payments and money transfers. Another issue has been to find a smart platform that consumers would accept.

This autumn Etisalat, in partnership with Mastercard Worldwide and Network International is launching the new technology initially available on Blackberry 9900 phone. Around 600 outlets in the UAE are already able to process such mobile payment transactions. With only one tap of a smartphone against the reader, a customer can make purchases of up to US $50 using a secure PIN number.

And this is just the beginning. "The possibilities around NFC are not just around payment. Payment is, of course, a very important application but with smart tags you can build a story. You could have coupons... redeem points with your next coffee or get a coffee free," said Enrique Beza, Senior Manager for m-Commerce at Etisalat.

The Mobile Commerce Forum taking place at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai, UAE from 4 - 7 December will bring together key players in the m-Commerce universe to discuss present and future of mobile money transactions. Enrique Beza will deliver a keynote presentation on the newly launched NFC technology and how Etisalat has forged critical partnerships to provide their customers with advanced services.

For more information, visit http://www.mobilecommerceme.com.

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For more information, please contact
Eileen Grace Espelita
Marketing Manager
IQPC Middle East
+971-4-364-2975
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