Belgium’s BASE mobile subscribers in Germany can now make contactless payments using their smartphone at the supermarket, when filling up their car and in restaurants using the “BASE Wallet” digital wallet – and it is just as secure as using a debit or credit card.
Owners of NFC-enabled smartphones can now make contactless payments at more than
Germany ramps up contactless deployment with BASE digital wallet launch
35,000 locations in Germany provided they have a digital wallet equipped with a payment function, like the digital Maestro card.
“We think that contactless card or smartphone payment will become the norm over the next few years. Of course, we first need to fulfill all requirements for wide public acceptance. Customers want flexible, easy payment, without compromising on security,” says Carsten Ahrens, Group Senior Vice President and Head of the Telecommunication Industries division at G&D.
And that is exactly what the BASE wallet provides. The NFC-enabled SIM card SkySIM CX functions as a key safety element for saving sensitive information on smartphones. The Trusted Service Manager (TSM) both manages security on the SIM card while also installing and personalizing the payment application on the SIM card via the mobile phone network.
This so-called Walletcard is a digital Maestro card. When used together with a mobile phone, it enables contactless payment via near field communication (NFC) at all MasterCard PayPass acceptance points worldwide.
If customers lose their smartphone, they can have the wallet blocked. The payment application is then immediately deleted by the TSM over the mobile phone network. The card is simultaneously blocked in the bank’s background system, as is usually the case with debit and credit cards.
“We are fulfilling customers’ need for security. We are also setting high standards in terms of the variety of applications. Right from the start, our mobile telephony customers can both pay securely using the mobile wallet and redeem digital coupons,” explains Martin Deventer, Director of Core Network and Services at E-Plus.
“Customers can also save their membership cards, such as their ADAC (the German Automobile Club) card, onto their smartphone. There is now no need to always carry your wallet with you, as smartphones with built-in digital wallets are becoming increasingly important in customers’ everyday lives.”
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