[January 08, 2013]

NFC Forum Forges Links with Global Certification Forum, International Air Transport Association, and Wi-Fi Alliance

The NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, announced today that it has signed collaboration agreements with three industry consortia. The goal of the alliances is to facilitate joint work to further the adoption, reach, and impact of NFC technology in key markets and industries, including mobile communications, air travel, and Wi-Fi communications. Collaborative activities will include work on market education, global interoperability, and mobile testing.

"As NFC technology reaches into many new markets and industries, the NFC Forum is working to make the process as smooth and effective as possible by collaborating with leadership organizations that share our goals," said Koichi Tagawa, chairman of the NFC Forum. "These new agreements with Global Certification Forum (GCF), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the Wi-Fi Alliance (News - Alert) will expedite the availability and use of more globally interoperable NFC-enabled solutions. We look forward to sharing long and productive partnerships with these organizations."

The organizations and agreements are as follows:

• GCF is a partnership of network operators, device manufacturers, and the test industry that has created an independent certification program to help ensure global interoperability between mobile devices and networks. Under their liaison agreement, GCF and the NFC Forum (News - Alert) will work together to: identify certification requirements impacting NFC-enabled 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless devices embedding NFC and 3GPP technologies; develop processes and proceures to ensure the robustness, reliability, and transparency of NFC-enabled 3GPP wireless device certification; and deliver joint announcements and collaborative marketing programs.
  
  
  
  
  
  "Our certification scheme is built on an ethos of 'test once, use anywhere' and provides a global benchmark for the interoperability of mobile handsets and connected devices," said Adriana Nugter, GCF Operations Manager. "Through collaboration with the NFC Forum and other industry organisations, GCF strives to streamline testing requirements for wireless devices embedding multiple technologies."

• IATA is the trade association for the world's airlines, representing some 240 airlines that account for 84 percent of total air traffic. The NFC Forum and IATA will work together to raise awareness in the market, and help build the ecosystem for NFC. The agreement will include outreach programs such as workshops for airlines and airports, white papers, case studies, webcasts, and events.
  
  Aleks Popovich, IATA Senior VP for Industry Distribution and Financial Services, said, "Through programs like Simplifying the Business, IATA continues to explore new standards and technologies to increase customer satisfaction and improve aviation's efficiency. Near Field Communication offers the potential to support IATA's Fast Travel initiative, which is aimed at meeting passenger demands for more self-service options. We look forward to our collaboration with the NFC Forum on this exciting opportunity."

• The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide. Under their agreement, the Wi-Fi Alliance and the NFC Forum will exchange approved documents, share information about program schedules, work jointly on NFC Forum Application Documents describing the use of NFC for Wi-Fi network configuration, cooperate on shared marketing material to promote certification programs, and participate in joint events.
  
  
  "We are pleased to collaborate more closely with the NFC Forum under the terms of our liaison agreement," said Wi-Fi Alliance president and CEO Edgar Figueroa (News - Alert). "Coordination between our organizations will help deliver a good user experience and exciting new applications of our technologies."

About the NFC Forum

The NFC Forum (http://www.nfc-forum.org) was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 180 global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.

The NFC Forum's Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: Broadcom Corporation, INSIDE Secure, Intel, MasterCard (News - Alert) Worldwide, NEC, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics, and Visa Inc.

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