South Korea’s SK Telecom, alongside Japan’s KDDI and Softbank, will run trials for NFC-based mobile payments between citizens of both countries.
The partnership will see the three operators cooperating to standardize NFC-based mobile payment technology by the first half of this year. The deal aims to ensure mobile payments, mobile coupons and related mobile financial services are operational in both countries by year-end.
Under the trial, all three carriers will test a number of mobile payment services via trial NFC-enabled handsets to ensure compatibility. The services to be tested include MasterCard PayPass in Japan, SK Telecom’s mobile money T cash in Korea and NFC-applied ‘Smart Poster’ service in both countries.
The trial is the latest outcome of an MOU on NFC mobile payment collaboration that the three operators signed last year.
When fully implemented, tourists from both countries are expected to be able to use their own mobile phones to make purchases and receive item promotions via NFC-enabled posters.
Japanese tourists in Korea will also be able to use South Korea’s mobile transportation money T Cash to pay for their public transport fares via mobile.