Near field communication is coming to two Southern cities–Memphis, Tenn. And Jackson, Miss.–in a trial run between wireless provider Cellular South and Kyocera Wireless Corp. Using the Wireless Wallet, participants will be able to use their Kyocera cell phone to pay for purchases at multiple retail locations.
Cellular South to Launch Multi-City Wireless Wallet Consumer Trial with Prototype Kyocera Device and Cutting-edge Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology
JACKSON, Miss. & SAN DIEGO, Calif.–Cellular South, the nation’s largest privately held wireless provider, and Kyocera Wireless Corp. (KWC), a leading global supplier of CDMA wireless devices and accessories, today announced a ground-breaking collaboration to launch a multi-city consumer trial for its new Wireless Wallet technology. Kicking off mid-May 2007 in Memphis, Tenn., and Jackson, Miss., Cellular South’s Wireless Wallet trial is the first of its kind for a U.S. regional carrier - further strengthening the company’s position as a wireless innovator driving m-commerce adoption.
Cellular South and Kyocera Wireless will begin the first-ever community-wide Wireless Wallet trial that allows participants the opportunity to use the technology at multiple retail locations in multiple trial cities. Participants will be equipped with a Wireless Wallet-enabled Kyocera cell phone – giving them a new, high-tech kind of purchasing power. The phone acts as a digital credit card that allows Cellular South customers to make payments and purchases by simply tapping it against a NFC-enabled wireless reader. The company plans to complete the trial by August 2007, with an anticipated widespread consumer roll-out of Wireless Wallet in Q4 2007.
“Cellular South sees an enormous opportunity in m-commerce technology and is committed to driving Wireless Wallet adoption throughout our service area,” said Greg Latour, senior vice president of technology development for Cellular South. “Kyocera has proven to be a great supplier in the past by delivering the devices and technology customers demand. We are looking forward to working with them again to make the Wireless Wallet consumer trial an overwhelming success.”
The prototype Kyocera Wireless handset employs the latest in Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to enable the Wireless Wallet functionality. It also serves as a fully functional mobile phone, offering a full suite of voice and data features via Cellular South’s CDMA2000 1xEV-DO cellular network. The companies, which have a long-standing business relationship, are working closely on a commercial handset strategy to support the Q4 consumer launch.
“To be entrusted as the exclusive handset supplier for this trial by Cellular South is a great honor for Kyocera Wireless,” said Dave Carey, vice president of strategic planning at Kyocera Wireless Corp. “NFC technology is a huge growth area in the U.S. wireless market and Kyocera is standing ready with the vision, the technology expertise and the compelling handsets to support its adoption by our valued customers like Cellular South.”
For more information about Cellular South’s premier wireless service, visit www.CellularSouth.com. For more information about Kyocera Wireless mobile devices, visit www.kyocera-wireless.com.
Near Field Communications News and InsightExplore more developments dealing with the implementation of Near Field Communications, a short-range wireless technology that promises to revolutionize contactless identification, payment, access, and more. Click to visit NFCNews.
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