Mobile payments initiative involves Avea, Garanti Bank, Gemalto and MasterCard

Mobile payments initiative involves Avea, Garanti Bank, Gemalto and MasterCard

MasterCard, Gemalto, Garanti Bank and Turkish mobile phone operator Avea have joined forces to launch the official roll out of Turkey‘s first near-field communication (NFC) initiative involving an antenna equipped SIM card mobile phone payment functionality.

Turkish consumers will be the first in the world to have the opportunity to make their mobile phones compatible with NFC technology via an N-flex SIM card which carries a flexible NFC antenna.

The solution, supported by MasterCard PayPass technology, is first introduced in Turkey with Avea and Garanti Bank launching a nationwide awareness and activation campaign.

Over a million Garanti bank cardholders can currently use the bank‘s Trink contactless programme for Tap&Go payments across the country. This new programme is designed to help many of these customers extend the range of devices for these PayPass-enabled transactions to their mobile phone through the purchase of the specially adapted SIM card from any participating Avea store – and the simple replacement of their existing SIM card for this PayPass enabled version.

Extending cashless payment access

This launch is supported by the BonusluAvea and Trink contactless programmes from Avea and Garanti bank and will enable consumers wanting to use their mobile phone for MasterCard Tap&Go payments at over 35,000 PayPass merchant locations in Turkey and at 265,000 locations around the world. In Turkey, contactless transactions cover public transport ticketing (including bus, subway, ferry and train) as well as for access to sports stadiums. The consortium also said that, in the near future, these contactless transactions will extend to other traditionally cash-dependent services, such as vending machines and for the Istanbul KGS (highway) toll.

BonusluAvea and Trink customers will also be able to benefit from digital coupons sent to their phones to earn instant discounts and gifts – part of the consumer marketing roll-out campaign designed to support the launch.

Launching the new initiative at a press conference at the CARTES exhibition and smart-card conference in Villepinte, Paris, MasterCard‘s global head of emerging products, Ed McLaughlin said: “Mobile Payments has shifted from concept to reality and I‘m proud that MasterCard, together with our partners here today, can be among the first in the world to demonstrate how great ideas can not only be a commercial reality – but more importantly – a tangible benefit for today‘s consumer.”