3 September 2008
Commuters in London could soon be able to use their mobile phone as a method of payment on the Tube, O2 has claimed. The mobile phone operator recently completed a six-month trial which saw customers use their handsets as electronic tickets at various events, the Evening Standard reports. Following the success of the trial, O2 said there is scope to extend the scheme to include other network operators and payment companies. Transport for London has expressed an interest in adopting the technology, allowing Tube travellers to use mobile phones as Oyster cards. A special SIM card would be inserted into the phone containing the radio transmitter that is used in Oyster cards at present. O2 said it could also be possible for mobile phones to feature credit card capabilities, allowing consumers to make cashless and cardless purchases. Spokesperson Claire Maslen told the Evening Standard: "Our aim is that you simply take out your phone and nothing else." By March last year, more than ten million Oyster cards had been issued, with more than three quarters of all bus and Tube journeys being made using the scheme.
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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