[August 31, 2012] Visa,Telefonica, Komercni and Samsung partner for new payment technology Tweet Aug 31, 2012 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) -- Visa Europe, a provider of services, has partnered with Telefonica SA, a broadband and telecommunications provider, Komercni banka and Samsung to launch a new payment technology. he 2,000 fastest owners of a Samsung Galaxy SIII, can swap their existing SIM card with a special payment SIM card. These SIM cards are available for free at 19 specialized O2 Guru Stores across the Czech Republic, with a pre-charged credit of CZK250 from Komercni banka; enabling users to pay for goods and services with their mobile phones. This KB Mobile Card (Mobil Karta) can be linked to an existing KB bank account or customers can set up a new account with Komercni banka. The mobile payment application, loaded onto a Samsung Galaxy SIII NFC SIM card, is provided by Visa Europe and will be downloaded to customer's devices for free by the O2 Guru so they can start paying with their mobile. "Together with our partners, it is our goal to introduce the technology of mobile contactless payments as an alternative to cash payments. The mobile payments offer a high level of convenience, speed and security. For merchants, they bring the new system of client service. Today, we are presenting the way people will pay in the future. We believe that by 2020 about a half of all transactions will be done via mobile devices," said Miloslav Kozler, the regional manager of Visa Europe for contactless and mobile projects in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. "Komercni banka has been continuously supporting innovations in payment methods. In co-operation with our partners, we are excited to be the first bank in the Czech Republic to offer our clients this revolutionary way of payment," said Petr Polak, the Payment Manager at Komercni banka. "The support of NFC technology in Samsung GALAXY SIII is another step towards our goal to bring a convenient and efficient cashless mobile payment solution. Today's customers, specifically Galaxy SIII users, like to use advanced technologies and features anytime and anywhere. A fast and secure contactless payment will expand the possibilities of use of their phones. And it is possible to use the new NFC technology, that corresponds both to the needs of our clients and to our corporate philosophy," said Roman Sebek, Sales and Marketing Director, Samsung Electronics Czech and Slovak. "We are proud to be the first mobile operator to introduce the NFC payments to the Czech market. Our work, however, is not finished by launching a limited series of NFC SIM cards. This limited edition is the last step before the mass market launch of this service next year," said Richard Walitza, NFC and Financial Service Manager at Telefonica Czech Republic. http://www.datamonitor.com Republication or redistribution, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]