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Editorial

Over the past few years, the mobile phone has become necessary device for all of us. Always within easy reach, it can be used  not only to make phone calls but also to take pictures, to surf the web, to listen to music and, in the near future, to pay any amount to retailers equipped with a contactless payment terminal.

We have been developing this new application since mid-2007 in collaboration with banks and operators. The final tool will offer private customers and businesses the benefit of a complete, secure and identical service for all banks and mobile operators.

 The trials conducted in Caen and Strasbourg in 2008 – 2009 have allowed us to validate the concept. Surveys have shown that our customers welcome this new payment method.

  France is the only country where collaboration between major banks and mobile operators has got this far in the area of contactless mobile payment.

  In Summer 2009, AEPM published a comprehensive set of specifications for contactless mobile payment enabling interoperability with the payment terminals of the major acceptance networks, Visa and MasterCard.

  In Spring 2010, AEPM member banks and operators are to use Nice as the launch pad for the next stage towards the general public being able to use mobile phones as a payment method. 

  Our current aim is to bring about the conditions for national deployment based on internationally-recognised specifications and standards.

Willy Dubost
Chairman, AEPM