Austrian mobile payments group reveals new Wallet Initiative

A group of Austria's leading banks, card payment providers and related companies have joined forces to create the Austria Card 'Wallet Initiative' in order to create an open, nationwide standard for mobile wallets. The aim of the standard is to help consumers make contactless payments with their mobile phones via a mobile card as well as enabling them to use special offers by simply tapping their phone at the checkout, in much the same way they would use loyalty cards, vouchers, and coupons.
October 31, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A group of Austria's leading banks, card payment providers and related companies have joined forces to create the Austria Card 'Wallet Initiative' in order to create an open, nationwide standard for mobile wallets.

The aim of the standard is to help consumers make contactless payments with their mobile phones via a mobile card as well as enabling them to use special offers by simply tapping their phone at the checkout, in much the same way they would use loyalty cards, vouchers, and coupons. MasterCard and Visa payments are also integrated.

The group has conducted its first tests of the near field communication (NFC)-based standard, is running a nationwide pilot project during late 2013 and aims to be market-ready in 2014. The standard is expected to be accepted across a wide range of different providers and sectors including retail, transport, ticketing, security and banking.

Mobile network operators will also offer a secure NFC-SIM card option. Members of the initiative include Austria Card, Card Complete, Drei, Erste Bank, First Data Austria, MasterCard, Nexperts, PayLife Bank, T-Mobile and Visa.

Related Content

  • Oregon tests new mileage-base charging scheme
    August 5, 2013
    Jack Opiola from D’Artagnan Consulting LLP explains Oregon’s latest moves which mandated a trial of mileage-based road use charging. In 1919, Oregon made the 20th century’s most significant contribution to transportation funding policy, becoming the first state in America to implement a gas tax to pay for roads. This summer Oregon’s Legislature passed, and Governor John Kitzhaber signed into law, Senate Bill 810 which requires a distance-based road usage charge for 5,000 volunteer vehicles by 1 July 2015. T
    Read More
  • In-vehicle intersection violation Warning system
    January 31, 2012
    Mike Schagrin, ITS Joint Program Office, RITA, and John Harding, NHTSA, describe US progress towards an in-vehicle Intersection Violation Warning system. In 2008, there were 37,261 fatalities on US roadways. Of these, 7,772, some 20.8 per cent of the total, were defined as intersection crashes or intersection-related crashes. Through a multi-agency research initiative led by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has developed a prototype In
    Read More
  • Cohda trial proves C-ITS can work in tunnels
    August 29, 2019
    Connected cars require uninterrupted signals to ensure driving safety. Going underground creates problems – but a trial in Norway suggests that there might be light at the end of the tunnel… As connectivity becomes increasingly important for transportation – in particular for connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs) - the problem of ‘blackspots’ and dead zones where signals fail or drop out is a pressing one. But developments early this year suggest that advances in technology might be on the brink of d
    Read More
  • CARTES 2014 Opening Summit provides illumination
    November 3, 2014
    Predicting the future is notoriously difficult – if it was easy, national lotteries would be out of business very quickly – but the experts gathered for CARTES SECURE CONNEXIONS Opening Summit have a better chance than most at defining the future shape of the payment, identification and mobility landscape. Traditionally, CARTES opens with a bang, as industry leaders in their fields look closely at the major trends that will affect everyone involved in the business of providing secure mobile financial system
    Read More

Highlighted Content