Nokia, Philips and RMV test smart ticketing solution

Nokia, Royal Philips Electronics together with Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund (RMV), public transport authority for Frankfurt’s greater area, have joined together on a project to trial a Near Field Communication (NFC) ticketing solution that uses mobile phones to access an existing contactless smart card ticketing infrastructure.

The test, which starts early in 2005, will enable RMV’s current customers to use Nokia 3220 phones equipped with tailored Nokia NFC shell covers to gain access to a local bus network in Hanau, a city near Frankfurt. As a result, travelers can enjoy a convenient and secure solution to buy, store and use tickets with their mobile phones.

As the first live NFC-based ticketing application of its kind, the test will use Nokia 3220 mobile phones with a contactless NFC solution, based on the Nokia NFC shell - the mobile phone’s outside cover. The RMV electronic ticketing application will be securely stored on an integrated smart card controller in the phone, and is fully compatible with today’s smart card-based ticketing products. Users will simply need to touch their phones against the contactless reader as they get on and off the bus to register their journey. This test will provide the companies with practical experience of NFC-enabled mobile ticketing on a check-in/check-out basis, paving the way for broad adoption of the technology.

Reinhard Kalla, VP and GM of Identification at Philips Semiconductors said “Together with Nokia and RMV, we have developed the first ticketing application for NFC technology, providing an example of how an intuitive, touch-based solution can simplify the daily lives of users.”

The mobile phone can also be used as a resource for transport information, such as timetables, as well as being a terminal for ticketing. For RMV, Nokia NFC shells are compatible with the contactless smart card infrastructure already installed in Hanau.

“This test will help us to meet requirements from mobile operators, transport operators and end-users,” said Jarkko Sairanen, VP, Strategy and Planning, at Nokia Technology Platforms.

CI NEWS BUREAU