Deutsche Telekom will launch an NFC-based “Mobile Wallet” in 2011, the international carrier confirmed today at Mobile World Congress. The payment program will use NFC technology to enable wireless payments from a mobile device. This payment system could be extend to store purchases, event ticketing and passenger rail tickets. This international program will be developed in conjunction with AT&T and Verizon in the U.S. under the Isis umbrella.
Isis was announced last year as a joint venture between the three wireless operators that aims to bring NFC payments to mobile phones. Isis is looking beyond mobile payments and wants to create a mobile payment platform that lets you swipe to pay with your mobile phone as well as receive reward points and special offers. The NFC program will be run on Discover’s existing network of merchants and will use its Zip wireless payment technology.
The Deutsche Telecom arm of this venture plans on rolling out NFC in Germany and Poland in 2011. It will land in the US, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic in 2012. Additional details on the program are available on the next page.