High end SIM to enable NFC for mass deployment of mobile contactless services
Orange France and digital security provider, Gemalto, have announced they are bringing NFC SIM cards to the French. This is the first large scale roll out of a SIM-based NFC solution in the country, and will enable NFC-readiness for mass deployment of mobile contactless services.
Orange is the first operator in Europe to deploy next generation NFC SIM cards to its customers on a national scale. With this deployment, Orange is pursuing the implementation of a NFC infrastructure on a national level that enables service providers to come onboard and deploy mobile contactless services.
The UpTeq NFC high end SIM is first on the market to offer the same security level as chip-based payment or smart cards. Orange is set to offer service providers such as banks, transport operators or retailers an attractive, secure and scalable solution to deploy new and enhanced services to end users. The solution will allow any service provider to dynamically manage its own security domain in the card and to load, personalise and update its related NFC applications remotely over time.
Service providers will be offered a secure vault space on the SIM card to manage and update their end customers' personal data. Orange subscribers will be able to download, activate and use NFC services on their phone. They will be able to access an easily expandable wallet of new NFC applications for payments, transportation, ticketing and loyalty programmes.
'Gemalto is the first supplier we're working with for the deployment of NFC SIM cards at a national level,' chirped Thierry Millet, vice president of mobile payments and NFC at Orange. 'Gemalto's NFC solution is fully in line with our strategy to simplify and secure the use of mobile contactless services. We are committed to equipping our customers with NFC SIM cards and handsets. We are delighted to achieve a new landmark with this nationwide rollout towards our subscribers in France.'
