Company announces launch of promising mobile payments service
Chunghwa Telecom, the largest mobile service provider in Taiwan, has been gearing up for the launch of its ambitious mobile payments service that combines the capabilities of QR codes and NFC technology. The service is meant to bring new options to consumers that are interested in shopping via their smartphones and tablets. While the service has been lauded as a major step forward toward a new future of commerce, Chunghwa Telecom has pumped the brakes on this initiative, delaying its official launch.
Service to be launched in third quarter
The company initially had plans to launch the mobile commerce service in June of this year, but has pushed back the launch to the third quarter. According to Chunghwa Telecom, there are still a myriad of testing that must be done before the mobile payments service can be deemed viable. There are no details concerning what type of tests must be done to the service, but mobile security may have a role to play.
Security may be one of the reasons behind the delay
Security has become major issue for the world of mobile commerce. Because smartphones and tablets are beginning to handle financial information, they have become very attractive targets for hackers. Throughout the world, mobile commerce platforms have been met with concern due to the security features they offer, or lack thereof. Consumers have expressed worry over their financial information being stolen and exploited simply due to their participation in mobile payments and have been calling for more comprehensive security features to be introduced into mobile payment services. These concerns are especially focused on the use of NFC technology in mobile commerce.
Chunghwa Telecom to stick to mobile payments plan
While Chunghwa Telecom has not provided any concrete details concerning the delays of its mobile payments service, the company has noted that it is sticking to its initial plan concerning the initiative. The official launch of the service will herald the first phase of the company’s mobile commerce plan. During this phase, Chunghwa Telecom will leverage the partnerships it has formed with local banks. The second phase of the initiative is slated to launch in the fourth quarter of 2013 and will serve to expand the company’s partnerships and the availability of its mobile commerce service.