Philips Partner with ViVOtech

By having NFC as a feature in their mobile phones, shoppers will be able to make purchases simply by waving their phone near a ViVOtech reader device at the checkout that automatically initiates the payment process. Philips and ViVOtech will combine their unique expertise and technology strengths to accelerate the use of mobile payment and promotion solutions to make transactions quicker, easier, and safer for consumers. This partnership between Philips and ViVOtech will allow an NFC-enabled mobile phone to be used as a payment and promotion device. All a user needs to do is to wave the mobile phone in front of the ViVOpay 3000 reader and the NFC technology enables the mobile phone to communicate with the ViVOpay reader to transfer payment data in a secure manner. For mobile phone users, this means easier access to content and services of their choice such as entertainment, transit and shopping. Philips NFC is a combination of contactless identification and interconnection technologies that enables convenient short-range radio frequency (RF) communication between personal electronic devices. ViVOtech provides software technology and reader infrastructure that allows consumers to make contactless payments with an NFC-enabled mobile phone at existing point-of-sale (POS) systems. NFC can also enable ViVOtechs ViVOwallet software, which includes the ability to pay and to use loyalty cards, gift cards, SMS/MMS promotions, and e-coupons. Customers can carry coupons digitally on their phones and use them for payments and to redeem promotions at any ViVOtech enabled location. ViVOtechs end-to-end solution allows payments as well as authentication of e-coupons at the point-of-sale terminal. NFC technology will be a major advantage to content providers and merchants, allowing them to generate new revenue streams and establish enriched relationships with their customers. For banks it will provide an opportunity to improve customer convenience and create new service models. ViVOtechs ViVOwallet solution adds a powerful application to the mobile phone -- spurring new consumer usage and opening the door to incremental revenue opportunities for wireless operators, merchants and handset makers.