Sprint on Monday detailed plans to use NFC (Near Field Communication) for mobile payments. The system would make an end-run around the Isis system proposed by the other three major US carriers but would be open and try to lure companies in by changing how payments would work. Product platforms VP Kevin McGinnis explained to Bloomberg that it would drop the usual up-front revenue split in favor of sharing revenue from ads or coupons.
The approach is due to go live sometime this year, but it may be hamstrung by the number of phones that support NFC. No phones have been unveiled for Sprint with NFC other than the Nexus S 4G. HTC has said it plans to add NFC this year, but even the Evo 3D won’t have the short-range wireless technology onboard.
Sprint if successful could be one of the first ready with a complete, end-to-end NFC system involving a carrier.
About as many as 150,000 US shops already support NFC, Crone Consulting founder Richard Crone said, but merchants have been reluctant to support it both because of the money they might lose and because of the lack of devices
