Singapore's StarHub has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan's NTT DoCoMo to explore a mobile wallet concept similar to Japan's renowned Osaifu-Keitai wallet solution for a near future implementation in Singapore.

Osaifu-Keitai means mobile wallet in Japanese. It is a trademark of NTT DoCoMo, which launched this service in July 2004, whereby the mobile phone is integrated with a contactless chip to offer mobile payment and transaction services. These include electronic money, identity card, fare card for bus and train rides, credit card and loyalty card. This mobile wallet application is also supported by other mobile service providers and accepted at more than 640,000 stores, making it the de facto standard for mobile wallet service in Japan.

"StarHub has been in the forefront in the development of contactless services and applications in Singapore. Together with EZ-Link, we have recently completed the largest user trial of Near Field Communications (NFC) that has involved 1,000 participants to tap and pay for public transport, check balance enquiry and download information from smart posters." said Ms Chua Siew Ling, StarHub's Head of Payment and Transaction Services. "We are delighted to be the first mobile operator outside Japan to test and pilot the Osaifu-Keitai service in the near future in our market. We believe that this will help us to rapidly develop a premium infrastructure for contactless services and applications in Singapore and create a mobile wallet offering that will appeal to our customers.”

"Singapore has the right pieces in place to enable the mobile wallet feature – factors such as high mobile penetration rate, the presence of a powerful contactless payment infrastructure as well as savvy consumers. We are confident that this strategic collaboration will bring multiple synergies for both companies as well as accelerate the adoption of contactless services and applications in mobile markets globally.” said Mr Takeshi Natsuno, NTT DoCoMo’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Multimedia Services Department, Products & Services Division.

Currently, StarHub is in talks with EZ-Link to explore the integration of the ez-link purse in the mobile wallet service. The ez-link purse is a contactless smart chip with a pre-paid function that is able to transact quick, secure and exact payments at over 20,000 readers and terminals on Singapore’s MRT, LRT, public buses and at retail locations such as McDonalds Restaurants and 7-Eleven stores across the nation.

Source:cellular-news