Hong Kong mobile carriers are stepping up their efforts in mobile payment by announcing a string of partnerships that aimed to accelerate the adoption of the service.
While PCCW-HKT teams with banking consortium JETCO to expand NFC-based mobile payment, CSL and Global Payments Asia-Pacific announce mPOS targeted at merchants.
HKT and JETCO said Wednesday that they will adopt Single Wire Protocol-SIM (SWP-SIM) cards that serve as the secure element for storing payment applications running on a mobile phone.
Slated for launch in Q1 of 2014, the service will be available to PCCW-HKT customers who have credit cards—including Visa, MasterCard, and China UnionPay—issued by more than 30 JETCO member banks.
The two companies said more details of the service will be available at launch.
HKT and JETCO aren’t the first organizations in Hong Kong that have announced their mobile payment move. Earlier this year, Octopus announced plans to pilot an NFC mobile payment service that allows users to pay via smartphones instead of the firm’s existing cards.
Late last year, PCCW Mobile also forged a NFC mobile payment partnership with Hang Seng Bank.
On the same day, the 1O1O brand of CSL and Asia-based card payment processor Global Payments Asia-Pacific launched a solution that turns a smartphone or tablet into a mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) terminal.
Compatible with both iOS and Android devices and powered by 1O1O’s 4G LTE network, the mPOS solution allows merchants on the go--such as businesses with mobile sales force, home delivery services and outdoor sales operations to accept Visa, MasterCard, and JCB card payments through an EMV certified card reader connected to a smartphone or tablet.
CSL said interested merchants will be able to sign up for the service at selected 1O1O centers.
Dah Sing Bank also has a similar mobile POS service launched in Q1 of this year.