By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
TechgoonduTechgoondu
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: First tap-and-pay services emerge in Singapore, but issues remain
Share
Aa
TechgoonduTechgoondu
Aa
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Follow US
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Techgoondu > Blog > Enterprise > First tap-and-pay services emerge in Singapore, but issues remain
Enterprise

First tap-and-pay services emerge in Singapore, but issues remain

Raymond Lau
Last updated: August 4, 2012 at 4:21 PM
Raymond Lau Published August 4, 2012
5 Min Read
SHARE

Years after mobile payment was first mooted as a new way to pay for things, Singapore users will finally be able pay for taxi and train rides and shopping items by simply tapping their phones on any of the 30,000 retail points that already accept such the near-field communications (NFC) technology.

On Friday, a group of banks, transit companies and telecom operators here introduced a number of mobile applications that promise to make payment much easier.

The idea is to make the phone a digital wallet that contains the information on the credit cards and stored value cards you have now, which can be accessed when you tap it against a supported reader.

Citibank, DBS, EZ-Link and the three local telcos, part of  a consortium partly funded by the government, say the first payment services will be available from the end of this month (read our commentary on their plans last year).

For a start, users will be able to pay at fast food and other retail outlets. Commuters will still have to use their existing stored value cards to pay for train rides, as phone payment for transit is only going on trial at the end of this year.

The catch is that only four smartphones are supported now. Users of Samsung’s Galaxy III and Galaxy S Advance and Sony’s Xperia P and Xperia S, all sporting an NFC chip in them, will be able to tap and go with their phones.

However, this doesn’t mean you can just stick your existing SIM card into an NFC-capable phone and start using the feature. You’ll have to approach your telco to get a new compatible SIM card for security reasons.

Even then, the Infocomm Development Authority, which has been pushing mobile payment for years here, cautions that the experience may not work as seamlessly on phones not on its short list.

There is another issue. Instead of one central wallet to manage all of a user’s multiple credit and stored value cards, users have to fire up several different apps for different payment options.

For example, M1 has created an app to enable NFC payment through EZ-Link point-of-sales and a pre-paid virtual MasterCard. But EZ-Link has also provided its own app to handle all EZ-Link transactions, from MRT and taxi fares to shopping.

At the same time, DBS has teamed up with StarHub to produce yet another app called SmartWallet, which incorporates a new DBS virtual credit card named “One Tap”, on top of the EZ-Link functionality.

So a user may not have to carry ten different cards any more but he may end up having to manage ten different NFC payment apps on his phone.

There are centralised wallet applications to hold all the information on a user’s cards and coupons. The Wallet hub featured in Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 8 operating system is one example, but it’s unclear if that technology will be integrated into the payment systems here in future.

Yet another limitation is that these payment solutions require an active data connection to work. If you’re in an underground mall, or worse, find yourself running too close to your slashed data cap, then grimy old dollar notes probably still work best.

Proponents behind the technology, of course, believe it has come a long way and will improve. More phones will come with NFC, they say, and with more payment options available, users will find the technology convenient and preferable to good old fashioned cash.

Dylan Tan, senior corporate communications manager at SingTel, said, “This is just the beginning, and we’ll see more services rolled out gradually over the next year.”

You Might Also Like

After another DBS outage, is it time to make banks publicly report service uptime?

IT leaders must manage the tension point between application development and security by embracing a DevSecOps approach

SPTel offers multi-network eSIM service to businesses running IoT apps

Foodpanda to use Gogoro electric scooters in battery swapping trial with Cycle & Carriage

RedCap: A new cellular IoT technology for the 5G era

TAGGED: IDA, NFC, Singapore

Sign up for the TG newsletter

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Raymond Lau August 4, 2012
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article Brother promises Internet features, faster prints with new laser printers
Next Article Sharpen your Mandarin skills with Android app
7 Comments
  • nick says:
    August 14, 2012 at 1:31 pm

    make a sim card 100% fully NFC without the need for nfc smartphones.
    take away those apps.

    make it even when i flash a sim card without puting it into a phone possible. then i might consider getting 1.

    anyway with the current smartphones battery consumption rate, those waiting for nfc goodluck to u.

    Reply
  • Andrew says:
    August 8, 2012 at 10:42 am

    Why can’t they just tie in with Google Wallet?!?!?! =(

    I don’t want multiple apps for payment, I want one app. Simple and easy.

    And wahlau no Galaxy Nexus =(

    Reply
    • techgoondu says:
      August 8, 2012 at 5:16 pm

      Yeah, I’d imagine they would make things easier if they just worked with a wallet for each mobile phone OS but I guess they wanted each to brand their own services.

      Reply
  • socialpr says:
    August 6, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    IDA and the reat focus on the technology when the technology brings no benefits to the merchant or the consumer.

    Take a look at PayPal FanClub exclusives at http://fanclub.sg/ which encourages Fans to pay with mobile in Singapore. Consumers enjoy discounts when they pay with PayPal at the stores. Merchant encourage the customera to be fans before the discount is given. Plus the merchants get word of mouth marketing after each purchase from the customers.

    Reply
  • mike says:
    August 6, 2012 at 2:51 am

    +1 patrick

    the present available plastic payment cards works better still & w/o additional costs on the consumer end.

    Reply
  • Service-charge-got-zhi says:
    August 4, 2012 at 8:48 pm

    Will they collect “service charge” in addition to the taxi fare for using the service? We don’t pay service charge anywhere for using NETS except in a taxi and that’s perplexing. Unless they can get rid of that nonsensical service charge, greed will be their biggest detractor for e-payment.

    Reply
  • Patrick Low says:
    August 4, 2012 at 5:33 pm

    My take: NFC payment is destined to fail. Not another wallet, please. More mess than it is worth it. Cash is still king.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow

Latest News

Five ways the Roborock S8 robot vacuum will change the way you clean your home
Internet March 31, 2023
After another DBS outage, is it time to make banks publicly report service uptime?
Enterprise Internet March 30, 2023
Xiaomi 13 Pro review: A photography powerhouse with 1-inch image sensor
Cellphones Mobile March 29, 2023
IT leaders must manage the tension point between application development and security by embracing a DevSecOps approach
Cybersecurity Enterprise Software March 29, 2023
//

Techgoondu.com is published by Goondu Media Pte Ltd, a company registered and based in Singapore.

.

Started in June 2008 by technology journalists and ex-journalists in Singapore who share a common love for all things geeky and digital, the site now includes segments on personal computing, enterprise IT and Internet culture.

banner banner
Everyday DIY
PC needs fixing? Get your hands on with the latest tech tips
READ ON
banner banner
Leaders Q&A
What tomorrow looks like to those at the leading edge today
FIND OUT
banner banner
Advertise with us
Discover unique access and impact with TG custom content
SHOW ME

 

 

POWERED BY READYSPACE
The Techgoondu website is powered by and managed by Readyspace Web Hosting.

TechgoonduTechgoondu
Follow US

© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms of Use | Advertise | About Us | Contact

Join Us!

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Lost your password?