25 October 2011


Singapore, 25 October 2011 – Come 2012, the sight of consumers tapping their mobile devices to pay for shopping purchases, transport trips, and other contactless services, could soon be a norm here when StarHub, EZ-Link and DBS launch Near Field Communication (NFC) services.

The three companies are part of the consortium which received IDA’s NFC Call for Collaboration (CFC) award to develop an interoperable mobile NFC infrastructure and mobile payment services in Singapore.  As pioneers that trial tested the latest NFC mobile payment services in Singapore, DBS, EZ-Link and StarHub are well-positioned to provide a secure and seamless NFC mobile payment services to customers by mid 2012.

More than 1,000 participants tried the NFC services during a recent trial, jointly organised by DBS, EZ-Link, Gemalto, MasterCard and StarHub. The trial was well-received by participants who expressed excitement over the prospects of the services.  Gaining insights from the trial, NFC services will be fine-tuned to bring greater benefits as well as convenience to consumers and merchants when officially launched.

Apart from continuing close partnership to offer more NFC-enabled applications, DBS, EZ-Link and StarHub will also work closely with other members of the consortium to develop a vibrant NFC ecosystem in Singapore.

Using NFC devices like a ubiquitous mobile wallet, customers can not only make payment but also access lifestyle services on a single interface. They can purchase tickets, receive the latest news, discounts and promotions from retailers with just a simple tap. In addition, consumers can “social network” on the move when they share their discoveries with their friends by tapping on each other’s NFC mobile devices.

To ease the adoption of the NFC technology, StarHub will offer NFC mobile devices to customers. StarHub will also look for more payment and service partners to collaborate on unique services that simplify and enhance StarHub Mobile customers’ lives at work, at home, and for leisure.

“StarHub is proud to provide innovative mobile payment services for our customers as we strongly believe in offering the best solutions and unique experiences for our customers. With the launch of the NFC, our mobile customers will enjoy a highly engaging and convenient experience as they use their NFC enabled mobile handsets for contactless services such as transit, shopping, ticketing, social sharing, and much more. With such attractive features, we expect more customers to embrace the NFC services that simplify and enhance their lifestyle,” says Ms Yeong Mun Ling, StarHub’s Vice President of Business Strategy.

NFC will form an integral part of DBS’ suite of mobile offerings and enhance the comprehensive card experience enjoyed by its customers. A leading player in the mobile banking space, DBS is the first acquirer to enable contactless payment through a single reader accepting PayPass, payWave, and CEPAS. With already over 6,000 contactless acceptance points for transport, shopping and dining, DBS will work closely with consortium members and its merchants partners to realise NFC’s full potential and to promote cashless payment in Singapore.

“Advancements in mobile technology and the adoption of smart devices over the recent years have had a major influence on the consumer’s lifestyle. With over 330,000 customers using mBanking as well as more than 300,000 downloads for DBS Indulge and DBS Shopper, we have the largest mobile banking customer base in Singapore. As part of our continuous innovation, we are proud to add NFC to our comprehensive suite of mobile banking solutions that includes online banking, protection, rewards and payment. The NFC-enabled mobile will further enhance our customers’ purchase experience and bring cashless payment in Singapore to a new level,” says Mr Sim S. Lim, Country Manager of DBS Singapore

EZ-Link will be offering the TTP with a contactless stored value e-purse infrastructure that will facilitate and allow the functions of an ez-link card to be embedded into an NFC-enabled handset and utilized across all existing and new ez-link acceptance points.

 “EZ-Link is happy to be working with DBS and StarHub towards introducing a NFC-enabled solution to our consumers as we believe that, by combining the mobile phone, NFC mobile payment and the ez-link purse, we are creating a powerful proposition for Singaporeans, adding a combination of innovation and convenience to their lifestyles,” says Mr Nicholas Lee, CEO of EZ-Link Pte Ltd.