Telefonica SA
31 May 2001
Document Dated 30 May 2001
SPANISH STANDARD CREATED FOR MAKING
PAYMENTS VIA MOBILE HANDSETS
- On 30 May, Telefonica Moviles, BBVA, BSCH and Airtel concluded an agreement
paving the way for the launch of a Spanish technological standard for making
payments via mobile handsets. AMENA has also confirmed its intention to join
the project.
- Caja de Madrid, Banco Popular, Banesto, Banco Sabadell and Xfera will also
be part of the agreement and will contribute their expertise in this field.
- The standard is intended to provide a safe and secure mechanism for
activating credit and debit cards, drawing on the expertise of existing
payment processing systems.
- The agreement entails integrating various projects already underway in
Spain and participation will from the outset be open to all financial
institutions, mobile operators and payment processing companies active in
Spain, paving the way for possible future expansion into international
markets.
- By using a single technology, this agreement will allow for open
competition among financial institutions for clients and among mobile
phone operators, for users.
Madrid, 30 May 2001- BSCH, BBVA, Telefonica, Moviles and Airtel have concluded
an agreement to integrate the various projects each had been developing
individually in the field of Payments via mobile handsets. The new project will
from the outset be open to all financial institutions, mobile operators and
payment processing companies active in Spain. Amena has also signed on to the
project and there is an agreement in principal to bring on various other
organisations, including Caja de Madrid, Banco Popular, Banesto, Banco Sabadell
and Xfera. Thus the agreement marks the creation of a Spanish technological
standard, with a clear will for international expansion.
This agreement takes Spain to the forefront in the development of new business
models and co-operation between financial institutions and mobile operators and
strengthens its leadership in the use of new payment system technologies.
Likewise, the project is in line with the objective of the European Union to
strengthen advanced European solutions to lead the technological development of
the information society.
The new standard is based on recognition of the role which mobile telephony will
play in consumers' daily life, making it an ideal tool for providing payment
platform for their everyday expenses. It will make the transition to the euro
easier and makes it possible to provide in advanced payment system for mobile
businesses (household deliveries, household repairs, etc). The new standard
will extend the range of businesses which have used advanced payment methods to
date and will open the door to the youngest segment of the population.
The security offered by the new system will make on-line shopping easier, give a
decisive boost to mobile businesses, and open huge business opportunities by
bringing together the advantages of mobile telephony and advanced payment
systems. It uses the mobile telephone to identify the account holder who can
confirm each transaction via a secret number, different to that used to activate
the telephone.
The parties to the agreement envisage that large credit card companies such as
VISA and Master Card will enter the agreement and the international company.
The agreement will result in the creation of two companies charged with
establishing the standard in Spain and abroad, respectively. The project will
involve initial investment of close to seven billion pesetas (42.07 million
euros) and envisages the launch of a pilot service in the fourth quarter of this
year and the marketing launch before the end of the year.
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