NFC Forum supports interoperability
Industry Effort Harmonizes Specifications of NFC-enabled Mobile Devices and PT Readers
The NFC Forum announced today a new release of its certification program and the publication of the NFC-enabled e-Ticketing in Public Transport: Clearing the Route to Interoperability white paper. http://nfc-forum.org/transport-stakeholders/. Certification Release 10 provides support for functionality introduced in the NFC Forum’s Analog Technical Specification 2.0 ensuring interoperability between an NFC device and the ISO/IEC 14443 and ISO/IEC 18092-based infrastructure and cards that are in widespread use in the public transport market. The white paper complements the certification release by providing an overview to implementing solutions to interoperability issues impacting deployment and use of NFC-enabled smartphone eTicketing services in many of the over 1,000 contactless transportation systems worldwide. The white paper is free to download and was created with input from eight key transportation organizations including Public Transport Operators (PTO) and global standards bodies.
With the technology and standards now available to enable radio frequency (RF) interoperability, PTOs, Mobile Network Operators (MNO) and handset makers can rely on certification by the NFC Forum to ensure that a tested and certified device will interoperate with public transport systems and deliver a positive user experience. Organizations planning implementations of NFC technology in public transport will find the white paper a helpful resource to guide that effort. Implementing this solution will increase consumer use of NFC-enabled smartphones for simplifying and accelerating fare purchases, providing one-touch entry to ticket gates, supporting ancillary applications (such as real-time travel updates and loyalty programs), and enabling use of the same means of payment and access across multiple modes of Public Transport (rail, bus, subway, etc.).
“With our new Certification Program release and white paper, the NFC Forum has provided the Public Transport industry and device makers with the information and the assurance they need to deploy NFC-enabled smartphone eTicketing services with confidence,” said Paula Hunter, Executive Director of the NFC Forum.
Learn more about Certification Release 10.
Download NFC Forum specifications.
ITSO and the Industry Collaboration to Harmonize Specifications
Achieving RF interoperability was a concerted effort spanning the global PT ecosystem. The NFC Forum and EMVCo were the first to agree upon cooperation that targeted the harmonization of analog/RF and digital layer specifications for NFC mobile devices. The NFC Forum has since extended the scope of the effort by establishing similar relationships with transport organizations and other standardization organizations. In 2015, the NFC Forum and The Global System for Mobile (GSMA) launched an initiative in concert with global PT representatives, Smart Ticketing Alliance, East Japan Railway Company, American Public Transportation Association and standards bodies, including the European Committee for Standardization, ITSO and the International Organization for Standardization.