Telefonica is edging ever-closer to the commercial launch of a mobile wallet (m-wallet) scheme, agreeing a deal to develop a Europe-wide NFC platform with smartcard firm Giesecke & Devrient (G&D).

 

The agreement covers G&D’s trusted service manager technology, which enables over the air transfers, and the administration, personalization and updates for NFC-capable SIM cards. G&D is also named as a preferred supplier of SIMs to Telefonica.

 

Joaquín Mata, global financial services head at Telefónica Digital, says the long-term goal is to create an “open NFC ecosystem,” that is interoperable with other systems and can be made available to third parties. The deal with G&D will help the firm “turn NFC services in [sic] a commercial reality,” he adds.

 

Telefonica began trialing an NFC-based m-wallet scheme with 1,000 employees in April, and recently extended the test to an extra 350 users via a deal with RIM. The operator aims to offer live services in 2012.