China Mobile, Gemalto Deploy NFC Transport in Beijing

Gemalto has been selected by China Mobile to offer its UpTeq NFC Multi-tenant SIMs to protect consumer credentials used for mobile contactless applications, starting with mass transit services in Beijing. China Mobile is the largest operator in the world, with a total subscriber base of close to 800 million.

Gemalto pre-loads the SIMs with the Beijing transport application and enables more than 22 million daily commuters in the city to ride buses and the metro by simply tapping their smartphones on the contactless ticket reader.

Beijing commuters are demanding convenient and fast solutions to navigate the crowded transport system in one of the most populated cities in the world. China’s payment systems are already moving rapidly towards contactless form, with more than 3.6 million terminals accepting UnionPay’s contactless QuickPass. And with around three times more mobile phones than there are payment cards, there are huge potentials for millions of commuters to enjoy the speed and convenience of contactless transactions.

In addition to the transport application, the UpTeq NFC Multi-tenant SIMs installed in all types of handsets will be immediately ready to host and enable a rich addition of secure services such as mobile payment, loyalty and couponing programs, and access control for private enterprises. The LTE-ready capabilities also allow subscribers to download NFC applications with the convenience and speed of the latest 4G networks.

“Over 53% of China’s population live in urban areas. Contactless projects are well underway in mega-cities like Beijing, Shanghai, ChengDu, Nanjing, GuangZhou and Tianjin,” said Suzanne Tong-Li, president for Greater China and Korea at Gemalto. “We have provided a customized solution to China Mobile, leveraging our strong understanding of the Chinese market and regional networks, which will allow them to adapt and expand their services to other cities. In the future, commuters will be able to travel from city to city with just one download wherever they go instead of having to buy a new transportation card each time.”