SIA, a payments system technology and services provider in Italy, is planning to launch its contactless mobile phone payment system in its domestic market in early 2014.
During an industry conference in Milan, SIA CEO, Massimo Arrighetti was quoted by Reuters as saying that the mobile payments will be launched in Italy before the end of March 2014, with plans for its debut in other European countries also.
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"We take it for granted that 80 percent of smartphones and all shops will be equipped with the necessary technology in one or two years," Arrighetti added.
"Our solution allows users to change bank without an interruption of service. This is why we think it is a winning card."
In a study, which was funded by SIA, Research firm ISPO found that about 94% of Italians showed interest in contactless mobile payments due to features like speed and practicality.
Four mid-sized Italian banks and mobile network operators Vodafone, Vimpelcom’s Wind and Hutchison Whampoa’s Tre Italia, have already deployed SIA’s mobile phone payment system.
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By GlobalDataSIA, in collaboration with Telecom Italia also has plans to pilot a NFC-based platform for mobile ticketing in three Italian cities next year.
