TeleSystems to launch new mobile commerce service
Mobile commerce has been growing at an alarming rate. In the U.S. and the United Kingdom, mobile commerce has become a strong force in the retail sector. Throughout much of Europe, however, mobile payments have become a convenient way to purchase tickets for public transportation. This trend has begun to spread to Russia, where telecommunications network operator TeleSystems has been showing more interest in the concept of mobile commerce and how it can be used to make purchasing tickets more convenient.
TeleSystems teams with Gemalto
TeleSystems has announced that it has teamed with Gemalto, a leading mobile technology solutions provider, to launch a new mobile commerce service in the city of Novosibirsk. Gemalto has strong experience in the world of mobile commerce as many of the digital security systems it developers work to make this sector safe for consumers. Gemalto is more attuned to the security risks that exist in the mobile commerce space better than most and may be able to ensure that the new services being made available in Novosibirsk will be capable of protecting the financial information of consumers.
Mobile commerce system will be used for public transit
The new mobile commerce service is based on NFC technology. While this would make such a service exclusive to those with NFC-enabled mobile devices, TeleSystems will be making use of Gemalto’s UpTeq NFC SIM cards, which are capable of giving any mobile device NFC capabilities. This makes the mobile commerce system significantly more accommodating to a wider range of consumers. The service will be used primarily to purchase tickets for public transportation in Novosibirsk.
Russian consumers show modest interest in mobile commerce
Russia has seen relatively calm mobile commerce activity in contrast to the growth of mobile payments around the world. While Russian consumers are just as tech savvy as those in other parts of the world, these consumers have not yet been won over by the prospects of mobile commerce. Security concerns may be the reason behind this apparent disinterest in the idea of mobile payments.
