PayByPhone brings mobile payments to Canadian parking
PayByPhone, a provider of payment systems designed for parking spaces, has announced that Ottawa, Canada, will be the latest home for its NFC-based payment system. Ottawa is the latest major North American city to host the company’s systems for parking spaces. The system allows drivers to pay for parking space and extend parking times using mobile application and an NFC-enabled mobile device. Ottawa is the first city in Canada to adopt the PayByPhone system. Depending on the success of the system, it may not be the last.
Parking meters will now accept NFC payments
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson believes that the system will provide a useful service for residents. PayByPhone has provided the city with a number of stickers which contain instructions on how to use the payment system, which will be affixed to the city’s Pay & Display parking meters. These stickers include a small NFC tag which can be interacted with using an NFC-enabled smart phone or mobile device. When the tag is used, consumers will be able to make payments using a simple mobile application. Each payment will be associated with a specific parking space and the system will remember the user and apply funds to the space they are using.
Hype surrounding NFC expected to produce rapid growth of the market
PayByPhone notes that NFC technology has been surrounded by a great deal of hype in recent months. Many consumers have shown interest in NFC technology, primarily for its applications in mobile commerce. The technology is capable of turning nearly any mobile device into a payment platform, allowing consumers to make purchases without the use of a credit card or physical currency. PayByPhone has expressed pride in being the first company to launch a mobile payment parking system in Canada.
NFC adoption expected to rise as new devices enter the market
The company expects to see widespread adoption of NFC technology and its mobile payment parking system in 2012. This adoption is expected to be pushed forward by the increasing number of consumers who have access to NFC-enabled smart phones and mobile devices. The availability of these devices is expected to skyrocket over the next two years.
