Etisalat and Wirecard Present Future of Mobile Payments at Mobile World Congress
MUNICH and ABU DHABI, UAE, February 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
- Contactless payments via Near Field Communication (NFC) technology
- Smartphones used as payment terminals for credit card acceptance
Etisalat, the largest tele-communications operator in the Middle East and Africa, and Wirecard, a global leader in payment innovations, will present a range of mobile payment solutions at the Mobile Word Congress 2013 in Barcelona.
One solution to be shown at the event is a fast and efficient method of making payments that utilises Wirecard`s Payment Processing platform and a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface to make contactless payments via Smartphone, leveraging MasterCard®PayPass™ technology.
In another solution, Etisalat enables its customers to accept credit card payments with mobile card readers that plug directly into mobile phones.
Etisalat is a multinational telecommunications organization with operations in fifteen countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including some markets with a low penetration of credit card terminals, such as Nigeria, Egypt and Afghanistan.
"We are proud to join Etisalat in presenting the future of mobile payments at the Mobile World Congress," said Christian von Hammel-Bonten, Executive Vice President of telecommunications at Wirecard. "The next years will be a transformative period in the payments industry with mobile operators emerging as major forces in the payments space."
Khalifa Alforah, Chief Digital Service Officer at the Etisalat Group said: "Etisalat is committed to harnessing the power of mobile connectivity through innovation to develop services that change people's lives for the better. Etisalat's commitment solutions that enable people, businesses and governments to take charge of their future will, in turn, lead to accelerated social and economic development."
In the near future all, NFC-enabled smartphones sold by Etisalat will come with a NFC-enabled SIM card. Existing customers will be able to update their cards in stores. Etisalat is aiming to extend its future mobile wallet service beyond payments to include couponing and loyalty solutions.
Visit Etisalat and Wirecard at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (25 - 28 February 2013) at booth CS OV-2, Hall 2, 2B110 or 7F03.
About Etisalat:
Etisalat is a leading telecommunications corporation catering to consumers, businesses, international telecommunication companies, ISPs, content providers and mobile operators. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Etisalat is the largest operator in the Middle East and Africa regions with a market value in excess of AED 80 billion (US$20 billion) and annual revenues of approximately AED 30 billion (US$8 billion). Etisalat has one of the highest credit ratings for a telecommunications corporation in America, The Middle East and Africa and is the second highest rated telecom company globally on the Fitch rating scale and fourth highest on S&P and Moodys' rating. Etisalat operates in 18 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, a coverage area which reaches more than two billion people. To date, the group's global subscriber base exceeds over 140 million subscribers through mobile and Landline voice and data services.
About Wirecard:
Wirecard AG is one of the leading international providers of electronic payment and risk management solutions. Worldwide, the Wirecard Group supports over 13,000 companies from various industry segments in their efforts to automate their payment processes and minimize cases of default. Wirecard Bank AG is a Principal Member of Visa, MasterCard and JCB and operates as a credit card acquirer in 69 countries around the world, involving over 100 transaction currencies and 18 payout currencies. Part of the Wirecard Group, Wirecard Bank provides innovative solutions in the fields of corporate banking, prepaid and co-branded cards, along with account products for both business and private customers. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI).
http://www.wirecard.com | http://www.wirecardbank.com | http://www.mywirecard.com
Wirecard Media Contact:
Wirecard AG
Maren Brandt
Einsteinring 35
D-85609 Aschheim / Munich
Germany
Ph.: +49(0)89-4424-1425
Fax: +49(0)89-4424-2425
e-mail: maren.brandt@wirecard.com
Etisalat Media Contact:
E: sking@etisalat.ae
T: +971-502205118
L: +9712-618-2173
F: +9712-632-4223
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