China Mobile will use Gemalto’s UpTeq NFC Multi-tenant SIMs to protect consumer credentials used for mobile contactless applications, starting with mobile payments for mass transit services in Beijing.
Gemalto pre-loads the SIMs with the Beijing transport application and enables over 22 million daily commuters in the city to ride buses and the metro by tapping their smartphones on the contactless ticket reader.
The digital security firm said China's payment systems are already moving rapidly towards contactless form, with over 3.6 million terminals accepting UnionPay's contactless QuickPass.
And with around three times more mobile phones than there are payment cards, there are huge potentials for millions of commuters to enjoy the speed and convenience of contactless transactions.
Also, the UpTeq NFC Multi-tenant SIMs installed in all types of handsets will be immediately ready to host and enable a rich addition of secure services such as mobile payment, loyalty and couponing programs, and access control for private enterprises.
The LTE-ready capabilities also allow subscribers to download NFC applications with the convenience and speed of the latest 4G networks.
Suzanne Tong-Li, president for Greater China and Korea at Gemalto, said contactless projects are well underway in mega-cities like Beijing, Shanghai, ChengDu, Nanjing, GuangZhou and Tianjin.
"We have provided a customized solution to China Mobile which will allow (the telco) to adapt and expand their services to other cities,” she said. “In the future, commuters will be able to travel from city to city with just one download wherever they go instead of having to buy a new transportation card each time."