Gemalto, a leader in digital security, has announced several new projects in the last month which it will be undertaking.
Gemalto Enables EMV Payment for Telefónica-MasterCard Joint Venture in Brazil
Firstly they will be supplying prepaid EMV payment cards to Mobile Financial Services (MFS), the joint venture formed by Telefónica and MasterCard Worldwide. The launch is part of “Zuum”, a new payment service offered by Telefónica’s Vivo brand which aims to provide financial inclusion for the unbanked population of Brazil. Gemalto will also provide MFS with all the personalization services associated with EMV prepaid cards as well as tamper evident packaging and fulfillment to point-of-sale. With Vivo’s huge coverage of over 90% of the Brazilian population, the service offers widespread accessibility for the vast majority of consumers.
Nearly 40 percent of Brazilians currently do not use banking services. With “Zuum”, Telefónica’s Vivo customers will be able to set up a pre-paid account which can be accessed either through their mobile phone or a regular prepaid EMV MasterCard payment card, provided by Gemalto. “Zuum” will allow people to make secure, convenient financial transactions including peer-to-peer money transfers, merchant purchases, ATM cash withdrawal, bill payment, airtime top-ups and more. Cash can be transferred easily at mobile phone refill stations, supermarkets and newspaper stands. The physical card provided by Gemalto can be used to make purchases in Brazil at over 1.8 million EMV-enabled merchants and to withdraw money in ATMs.
SoftBank Mobile Selects Gemalto TSM to Further Expand Japan’s Mobile NFC Ecosystem
Secondly they have been selected by SoftBank Mobile for the commercial launch of mobile NFC services in Japan. This launch further expands Japan’s NFC ecosystem, with two major mobile operators having launched NFC services, powered by Gemalto’s Allynis Trusted Service Management (TSM) solution. Open and scalable, the TSM infrastructure allows operators to easily bring new service providers into the ecosystem. The solution is hosted in Gemalto’s secure data center based in Singapore, providing 24/7 availability to ensure business continuity for SoftBank Mobile.
With Japanese banks increasingly throwing their weight into mobile payment services, Japanese mobile subscribers will have more access to a rich portfolio of NFC services which also include e-ticketing and loyalty programs. The support of NFC international standards now allows contactless service interoperability across all mobile operators and service providers. In addition, SoftBank Mobile will be able to offer NFC services in Japan and abroad, opening the door to cross-border commercial agreements which will greatly benefit Japanese travelers overseas.
Gemalto Provides Trusted Services for New Mobile NFC Ticketing in the Territory of Caen la mer
Thirdly it has been selected by Keolis, a major private sector transport group in France, to provide and operate the Allynis Trusted Service Management (TSM) services for the NFC mobile ticketing roll out in the territory of Caen la mer. After a detailed tender process, the Caen urban area transport organization Viacités has decided to offer a new service to bus and tram passengers using the Twisto network managed by Keolis. Transit passengers in Caen are now able to use their NFC mobile phone to ride city transportation with ease.
The service went live on June 17, 2013 and passengers using public transport in the city can enjoy transport services simply by using the “Twisto” ticketing application downloaded onto their NFC mobile phones. Registered passengers can purchase tickets directly from their phone or load their subscription. To ride the city’s Twisto bus or tram services, they simply wave their phone in front of a contactless reader to validate the ticket. Regular commuters as well as visitors to the city can use this new service.
Gemalto Deploys First Contactless Cards in Latvia for SEB
Gemalto also announced it is providing SEB Latvia with Optelio payment cards to deliver the speed and convenience of contactless transport to schoolchildren and seniors in the city of Jelgava, Latvia. The SEB Group is a leading North European financial services group for 400,000 corporate customers and institutions and 5 million private customers. The card, issued by SEB Latvia on behalf of the Jelgava county government, enables speedier boarding and cash-free travel on local buses. Ultimately, the multi-application card will include contactless payment and will be extended to all of Jelgava’s residents. This is the first contactless payment cards ever deployed in Latvia and the Baltic States.
Gemalto’s Optelio is a private label payment solution compliant with the EMV standard, which enables the seamless addition of new applications over time. Students are able to pay at school canteens, vending machines or at any city facilities, using standard, contactless EMV point-of-sales terminals. Parents can credit the SEB prepaid account at bank branches or online, and set limits on daily expenditure.
