NFC

Today marks the 6th month that I'm in Sweden. So fast hor..

Many happy things today, exam results pass; school starts, interacting with new ppl; starting my violin lessons again; and more importantly, the press release that I've been waiting for:

NETS and SingTel to offer wireless mobile payments
(For video report, click here)

In summary, it means that we will be able to use mobile phones to make payments in the future. Think of your credit cards, ezlink card, NETS card etc. all rolled up into your phone. Instead of opening up ur wallet and selecting a card to swipe/tap at terminals, this is all done with a single device! This is possible by a technology called NFC (Near Field Communication). NFC is also attractive because it allows us to do things in a contactless and wireless environment.

Contactless
There are already many contactless applications that we use in Singapore:
1) Ezlink card. We are all familiar with the application, its just tap and go.
2) Nets card. U all might not realize, but the NETS card issued now has both contact and contactless interface. Contact interface is when we need to insert the card say into the car IU reader or at the POS terminal during merchant payment. Contactless interface works like an Ezlink card, but only some merchants like Bengawan Solo / Popular has it. I've tried to use the contactless NETS card once, but the Bengawan Solo gal did not how to use and told me to use the usual contact one instead. It probably take some time for people to pick up.
3) VISA credit card. They just launched the contactless credit card in July, I think. Otherwise its the usual magnetic strip that we use. Again, probably take sometime for ppl to switch.
4) Kopitiam card. Its a prepaid value card for payment at Kopitiam only, works exactly like NETS and Ezlink.

Wireless
Currently for Ezlink/ NETS/ Kopitiam card, we need to physically bring a card to a terminal to do a topup when the value runs low. With NFC, topups can be done via the phone, over the air.

Besides payment /topup, NFC can also be used for ticketing, advertisements, bluetooth, identification etc etc... Many trials have already been conducted around the world, but the topup application is one of the first few, and probably first in Asia during the trial in Singapore.

OK, a whole lot of words, its better for u all to see the video where they actually did a demo. (PS, the guys being interviewed are my ex-bosses, ha.)

This press release means alot to me, coz I was part of the team involved before I came over to Sweden. Its a huge effort, coz of the many stakeholders involved, and its not easy to implement commercially and technically. This project was also the only one that made me hesitate from coming over here, coz I was so close to the implementation stage and I really wanted to see it all happen. Nonetheless, I am really happy for the team that have finally crossed a major milestone. For my friends who wanted to do know what my jobscope was, there u have it- looking at new technologies, weighing the commercial value, implementing it.