|
|
NEWS
Nokia, Nordea and Visa International to pilot
the world's first Electronic Mobile Payment Services based on dual chip
technology
(September 24, 2001)
The first customers in the
Helsinki area have received mobile phones that can be used for making mobile
payments with an inserted Open Platform chip card issued by Nordea
Nokia, Nordea and Visa International have today announced that they have started
a pioneering pilot to test and verify how real life electronic commerce can be
conducted by using mobile phones. The Electronic Mobile Payment Services (EMPS)
project is distributing 150 specially designed mobile phones to customers in the
Helsinki metropolitan area. Customers can make purchases through their mobile
phones and pay using a Nordea issued plug-in size chip card which resides on a
special chip card reader inside the phone. Visa Electron transactions can be
done by using this additional chip with WIM (Wireless Identity module)
application.
The main goal for this joint initiative is to develop rugged and functional
technology for mobile commerce business. The project tests the viability of the
dual chip concept in this real life pilot. In the beginning of the pilot phase,
the EMPS initiative will involve two Finnish merchants, the Internet-based
grocery store Ruoka.net, and the movie theatre Kinopalatsi. Based on the outcome
of the pilot, the project will be able to submit valuable information to various
mobile commerce fora and standardization bodies, such as the MET consortium and
the Mobey Forum.
The mobile commerce concept tested in this project, is called dual chip. The
dual chip concept consists of a chip card that can be issued by a bank and a GSM
SIM card. In the pilot, the chip card which accommodates WIM application, is
inserted into the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) enabled mobile phone,
providing the customer with an integrated payment functionality. WAP is used as
a transport layer, and the wireless authentication and signature method is based
on WAP and WIM specifications. The dual chip concept is compatible with the
recently announced preferred payment architecture by the financial
industry-driven forum, the Mobey Forum.
"We are excited to see how the EMPS pilot will be received by real
consumers. This pilot has global signifigance because we can now for the first
time receive first hand experience and feedback from both consumers and
financial institutions responsible for issuing and administering the payment
functionality. For Nokia, the dual chip concept piloted in this project is one
of the mobile payment options that we are working on and which we will be
supporting in our future mobile terminals," said Martti Granberg, Director,
Nokia Mobile Phones.
"This launch of the pilot is a proof of Nordea's innovative role in driving
developments in m-financial services, and it also highlights the part of
Nordea's strategy aimed at promoting e-habits for a broader public. Dual chip is
ideally suited for consumers who wish to use banking services and pay in a
secure and convenient way," said Bo Harald, Head of Nordea's Electronic
Banking.
"As part of our continued collaboration with Nokia, we are very pleased to
see a real mobile commerce solution being used by Nordea Visa cardholders. Our
involvement in the first dual chip pilot in the world demonstrates our
commitment to adapt our products to any environment ensuring convenience and
security regardless of the channel used to shop. Our ability to fit a standard
multi-application Visa Open Platform card into a Nokia mobile phone is a clear
indication that Visa, together with its partners, is leading the development of
future payments systems," said Jon Prideaux, Executive Vice President, Visa
International EU.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience,
innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the
leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP
networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for
companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly
held company with listings on six major exchanges.
About Nordea
Nordea is the leading financial services group in the Nordic and Baltic Sea
region and operates through six business areas: Retail Banking, Corporate and
Institutional Banking, Asset Management, Investment Banking, Life Insurance and
Pensions and General Insurance. The Nordea Group has nearly 10 million
customers, 1,260 bank branches and 125 insurance service centres in 22
countries. The Nordea Group is a world leader in Internet banking, with 2.5
million e-customers. The Nordea share is listed in Stockholm, Helsinki and
Copenhagen. www.nordea.com
About Visa
Visa is the world's leading payments brand and the largest payments system
worldwide. Visa-branded cards generate almost US$2 trillion in annual volume and
are accepted at over 22 million locations around the world. The Visa
organisation plays a pivotal role in advancing new payment products and
technologies to benefit its 21,000 member financial institutions and their
cardholders. Visa is a leader in Internet based payments and is pioneering the
creation of u-commerce, or universal commerce - the ability to conduct commerce
anytime, anywhere, over any type of device.