Visa Europe, in co-operation with Credito Valtellinese and Key Client Cards & Solutions, presents the first European trial of contactless VPAY debit card payments via mobile phone
Milan, 22 September 2009 – Visa Europe, Credito Valtellinese, and Key Client Cards & Solutions today announced the first mobile payments trial in Europe using TELLCARD - Credito Valtellinese’s contactless V PAY debit product. This is an extension of the TELLCARD initiative in the North Italian province of Sondrio, which uses contactless technology to enable payments of up to 15 Euros on Credito Valtellinese V PAY cards and allows the use of mobile phones as payment tools for everyday purchases such as newspapers and coffee. Mobile phone technology is popular in Italy - particularly amongst young people - and the objective of the trial is to promote their use for everyday electronic payments.
Fifty Credito Valtellinese employees will be given a Nokia mobile phone equipped with the “TELLCARD MOBILE” V PAY contactless application. Simply by waving the phone in front of a contactless reader the phone can be used to make purchases at 180 locations in the northern cities of Sondrio, Chiavenna, Morbegno, Tirano and Bormio. Mobile payments can be made using the same contactless acceptance infrastructure already deployed for the TELLCARD V PAY project.
The mobile phones used in the trial are equipped with NFC (Near Field Communication) functionality, a short range wireless connectivity technology standard designed for simple and safe communication between electronic devices. NFC enables the secure exchange of payment details between a contactless-enabled mobile phone and a standard contactless reader at the point of sale by bringing the devices within 4 cm of each another.
To make a purchase with the mobile phone the merchant just needs to enter the amount of the transaction and the consumer waves the phone in front of the reader. The transaction is completed and the screen indicates that the purchase was carried out successfully.
According to Davide Steffanini, General Manager Visa Europe in Italy, «Italy is one of the most advanced mobile phone markets in the world. By combining the sophistication of mobile with cutting-edge innovation in payments technology we can only begin to imagine what the future of payments will be in Italy. It is no surprise that Italy has been chosen to test out the first V PAY mobile project in Europe. Following the debut of contactless technology in Valtellina on V PAY cards, we are already preparing for a future where cards and cash may be displaced by payments using mobiles. Our vision is to put payment tools in the pockets of every Italian consumer – whether on the cards they use today or the mobiles they already carry with them tomorrow. This collaboration is an important step towards making the vision a reality».
Miro Fiordi, General Manager of Credito Valtellinese expressed appreciation: «Following the launch of TELLCARD last year, Credito Valtellinese – the first bank in Europe to test contactless technology on V PAY cards – continues to test innovative payment technologies for electronic transactions with this new pilot. Innovation is a hallmark and driving force of our bank. Our priority is to prepare for the challenges of the future».
Evaristo Ricci, Deputy General Manager of Key Client Cards & Solutions commented: «TELLCARD MOBILE is the result of the ongoing commitment in electronic payments innovation by Key Client. Thanks to the solidity of ICBPI Group our company is part of, we are constantly growing and seeking to support the whole banking system with our solutions: from the local bank to international organisations. To carry out ambitious projects it is necessary not only to have the right capabilities but also the expertise to cope with and solve all technical, financial and organisational activities connected with electronic payments. Key Client is able to guarantee this through our specialist services in issuing, processing, payment cards; and POS and ATM management.
Elsewhere in Europe Visa also has contactless card programmes in the UK, Turkey, and Poland and contactless card pilots in France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. There are Visa mobile contactless pilots in France, Spain, Switzerland and the UK
