Mobile Payment Magazine

Two Way Communications Payment Sticker Introduced by Blaze Mobile

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Blaze Mobile has announced its a new “smart” sticker, which allows real-time transfer of information between the sticker and a mobile device, without the use of a carrier network. With Blaze’s new sticker, when consumers make contactless purchases, the data is sent directly from the sticker to the mobile device, eliminating the need for a carrier network or WIFI.

The sticker can be used on any mobile device, and offers Blaze’s users real-time account information whether in a store, subway, transit station, airplane, or anyplace without cell phone reception. The data transfer is a two-way transfer, so the mobile device can also transmit information to the smart sticker without using a carrier network or WIFI. This technology offers many new possibilities for consumers — for example, a customer can easily store and select from multiple payment options, like credit, gift and debit cards. In addition, Blaze’s sticker allows for a host of business options beyond mobile payments, such as remote access to buildings, cars or health care data, and increased data security because of the ability to remotely deactivate lost or stolen stickers.

This new sticker improves upon the original patent-pending sticker concept that Blaze Mobile pioneered in 2006. Blaze’s first mobile payment sticker was introduced as a solution to the lack of near field communication (NFC) cell phones in the marketplace. The payment sticker has proven popular, and other companies have embraced Blaze’s idea and created their own versions. Blaze’s original sticker sends transaction data in one direction from the sticker to the Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal, and then traverses the payment network to the Blaze servers. Blaze servers then deliver this digital receipt to the mobile device Over-The-Air (OTA) using the carrier network. This entire process takes only a few seconds, and is acceptable to most customers in terms of performance. A potential problem arises in situations where the wireless network is not available to immediately transfer the data, and the new Blaze sticker eliminates that limitation.

“We are excited about the potential of this new smart sticker since it closely mimics the behavior of NFC embedded inside a cell phone. More importantly, it dramatically increases the number of potential NFC devices, and encourages consumer adoption of contactless payments. Manufactures of mobile hardware and software have announced plans to introduce more NFC devices in to the market, which we are excited about. Until NFC handsets become commonplace, our payment stickers are a free and easy solution for consumers and industry,” explains Michelle Fisher, CEO, Blaze Mobile.

The new Blaze Mobile smart stickers will be available during the first quarter of 2011.

Source: Business Wire

HID Gobal Announces New Contactless Payment Stickers

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HID Gobal announced today, the addition of a mobile sticker format to its family of contactless payment and identification cards.

HID Global provides solutions for the delivery of secure identity. The new stickers make it easier to add closed-loop payment and loyalty systems to existing automatic fare collection or retail systems, or to augment campus identification systems with new access control capabilities. They also can be affixed to mobile phones as a bridge to coming NFC mobile payment services.

“We continue to offer more ways to deliver secure access and conduct cashless transactions, whether with traditional cards or easy-to-use contactless stickers, and each of our credential form factors plays an important role as consumers seek more reliable and convenient secure identity solutions.”

Unlike other stickers, HID’s sturdy, adhesive-backed stickers include an internal ferrite layer that shields electronics from interference even when attached to items containing metal, such as mobile phones.

They come in a breakout ID-1 card format and can be printed with customer information including serial numbers, activation codes, messages, brand elements and/or promotional text and artwork.

HID Global offers print customization in low quantities, providing companies with an economical way to extend their brand presence. To meet existing customer environments, HID’s contactless payment and identification stickers are available with DESFire, MIFARE and iCLASS technologies.

“Contactless payment stickers enable users to experience the convenience and reliability of next-generation NFC-enabled mobile payment, now, by simply attaching them to mobile phones, MP3 players or other frequently carried items,” said David Nichols, Product Marketing Director, Credentials, with HID Global. “We continue to offer more ways to deliver secure access and conduct cashless transactions, whether with traditional cards or easy-to-use contactless stickers, and each of our credential form factors plays an important role as consumers seek more reliable and convenient secure identity solutions.”

HID Global’s contactless payment and identification stickers are available in both volume and sample quantities. HID’s sticker customization program allows customers to choose from a variety of printing, laser engraving, programming, artwork and contactless chip technology options, upon request. In the field, stickers may be printed with brand elements, custom designs or other information using desktop card printers such as the Fargo line of financial card printers with patented High Definition Printing (HDP™) technology. The single-use part can be discarded by the end-user after receipt.

Source: Business Wire