Everything Everywhere, Telefónica and Vodafone to form UK mobile commerce joint venture
17 June, 2011
category: NFC
Everything Everywhere, Telefónica UK and Vodafone UK have announced plans to create a standalone joint venture for mobile marketing and NFC payments.
The first of its kind in the UK, the open joint venture will aim to provide a single contact for advertisers, marketing partners, retailers and banks, making it easier to create m-commerce products and services, according to the partners.
At the center of the project will be a mobile wallet service that will enable consumers to transfer their entire physical wallet into a new SIM-based wallet, regardless of their NFC enabled mobile device model or mobile network. Consumers will be able to use the service to pay for goods, services and travel using contactless technology with a tap of their phone, or online via mobile or PC.
Companies and organizations that provide anything from credit, debit and loyalty cards to membership cards and transport tickets will be able to create secure mobile versions of their products, according to the partners.
The new business will also aim to provide a single contact point for advertisers, media agencies and retailers, enabling them to book advertising space, create campaigns and provide offers, coupons and loyalty cards, which can be stored on the phone and redeemed in shops. For consumers, the JV means that they will be able to receive discounts and offers from brands that are relevant to them and that they want to receive.
Guy Laurence, CEO of Vodafone UK, adds: “Currently people take their mobile, wallet and keys when they leave home. In the near future, people will now start leaving their wallet at home, and in the mid term their keys may also be integrated into their mobile as NFC allows the mobile to act as a digital access card. The joint venture is the next phase in realizing that ambition.”
Everything Everywhere, Telefónica UK and Vodafone UK will continue to develop their own competing products and services tailored to their own customers, which will be based on the open platform infrastructure provided by the joint venture.
The new solution is expecting to launch before the end of the year.