O2 wants high street retailers to back the “electronic Wallet” handset

After the trial by O2 of the “electronic Wallet” the mobile phone handset that you can also use as an electronic swipe-and-go travel card, credit card and even loyalty cards was such a success, we could be seeing these handsets in our high street within a few years.

Of course, the pioneer behind the “near field communication” (NFC) O2 needs major retailers to help promote and create mass market appeal to make this happen.

O2 are organising an NFC taskforce to bring together technology providers, retailers and banks to overcome the barriers to a commercial launch. Visa and Barclay card were both part of the London trial, but O2 are keen to get Mastercard and American Express on board as well, and its reported that O2 are already in negotiations with two large high street banks. But it’s the retailers that O2 really need to work on as they are the missing link if they do not want to get involved.

Source: phonesreview via independent