NFC Forum Welcomes NTT DoCoMo as Sponsor Member
12 November, 2007
category: NFC
Rapid Growth in Membership Shows Momentum for Near Field Communication
WAKEFIELD, Mass.–The NFC Forum (http://www.nfc-forum.org), a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, today announced its newest Sponsor member: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
Joining as a Principal member is BlueChip Technologies S.A. Associate members who have joined recently are: Alcatel-Lucent, Artimi, Inc., Brother Industries, Ltd., NTT Data Corporation, Sagem Orga GmbH, Siemens AG, STMicroelectronics, TUV SUD AG and USA Technologies, Inc.
Since its founding in 2004, the NFC Forum has drawn market-leading organizations from around the world to its membership roster as momentum builds for the adoption and implementation of Near Field Communication technology. NTT DoCoMo, Inc., joins Sponsor members HP, MasterCard International, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Panasonic, Renesas Technology, Samsung, Sony Corporation, and Visa International.
NTT DoCoMo is the world’s leading mobile communications company. DoCoMo serves about 53 million customers, including 40 million people subscribing to FOMA, launched as the world’s first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA in 2001. DoCoMo also offers a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services, including i-mode, the world’s most popular mobile e-mail/Internet service, used by more than 47 million people. DoCoMo handsets utilize Sony’s FeliCa contactless IC card technology to offer the advanced i-mode service, Osaifu-Keitai.
“Mobile service providers bring a unique and essential perspective to the work of the Forum because of their knowledge of end-user needs and preferences,” said Christophe Duverne, chairman of the NFC Forum. “We look forward to NTT DoCoMo’s contributions, which will be based on years of experience serving the needs of millions of mobile customers in Japan. We also extend a warm welcome to our new Associate members, whose diverse businesses and locations underscore the global nature of the NFC ecosystem.”
With the addition of NTT DoCoMo’s Sponsor membership, the NFC Forum Board is composed of representatives from industries across all layers of the NFC ecosystem, including semiconductors, mobile devices, network operators, financial services, IT, and consumer electronics.
Near Field Communication is a short-range, wireless connectivity technology that allows consumers to perform safe, contactless transactions, access digital content, and connect electronic devices with the simplicity of a single touch. Consumers with NFC-enabled mobile phones may, for example, leave their wallets at home and use their phones to enact contactless financial transactions or to gain electronic access to public transportation.
In addition to its ongoing work via email and conference calls, NFC Forum members meet frequently face-to-face to discuss NFC initiatives and continue development of specifications. The next meeting of all Forum committees and working groups will take place in Athens, Greece, from December 3-7, 2007.
About Near Field Communication Technology
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a standards-based, short-range wireless connectivity technology that enables simple and safe two-way interactions among electronic devices. NFC technology allows consumers to perform contactless transactions, access digital content and connect devices with the simplicity of a single touch.
Near Field Communication (NFC) technology provides global interoperability of contactless identification and interconnection technologies. NFC operates in the 13.56 MHz frequency range, over a typical distance of a few centimeters. The underlying layers of NFC technology are based on ISO, ECMA, and ETSI standards. NFC technology is supported by the world’s leading communication device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, IT and services companies, and financial services organizations. NFC is compatible with hundreds of millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed worldwide.
About the NFC Forum
The NFC Forum, http://www.nfc-forum.org, was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor and consumer electronics companies. The Forum’s mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum’s 135+ global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.
The NFC Forum’s Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: HP, MasterCard International, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Panasonic, Renesas Technology, Samsung, Sony Corporation, and Visa International.
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