Eika is now launching its Mobile Wallet based on a new mobile-payments technology from Nets, one of northern Europe's leading providers of payment solutions, and OT, a world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space. "
We are convinced that mobile phones will be a cornerstone of payment solutions going forward, and, as Nets has been a reliable business partner in the field of payment solutions for a long time, it was only natural for us to work with Nets to develop our mobile wallet," according to Karl-Richard Floer, Director of Cards and Payment Solutions, Eika Kredittbank.
Nets' ambition is to be a key Nordic supplier of mobile-payment solutions and Nets' recently-developed mobile wallet will play an important role in this. Early on, Nets chose OT, the world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space, to help develop a flexible platform based on international standards. Nets provides this service to issuers in the Nordic region seeking access to secure, efficient handling of smartphone-based payment.
As part of developing its position in the Nordic mobile-payment market, Nets' services will enable banks to issue, distribute and administer payment cards for mobile phones and to ensure that sensitive card data cannot be compromised.
As the technology partner, OT provides the Trusted Service Manager Solution. Marek Juda, Managing Director of the Solutions Business Unit, Oberthur Technologies, comments:
"From the very start of the project, we have shared Nets' vision of how to shape the future of mobile payments. We are delighted to be able to provide the TSM technology that guarantees reliable delivery of payment functionality to the secure element of the user's mobile-phone, an area in which OT is the undisputed world leader."
With Nets' mobile services, individual issuers can flexibly create their own mobile wallet and tailor it precisely to their individual requirements in terms of functionality and design. A mobile-wallet solution based on technology from Nets and Oberthur Technologies gives issuers' customers the ease and convenience of making contactless payments with their smartphone. In the future, other security options will be available in addition to the secure element on the handset. Moreover, the new mobile wallet will be capable of incorporating a number of additional services such as membership and loyalty cards, reward points, discounts, coupons, vouchers and other value-adding functionality. Thus, in a few years' time, mobile phones will be able to replace physical wallets entirely.
Eika is the first of Nets' customers to deliver the new mobile solution to the market, and both Eika and Nets have high expectations for the benefits Eika will derive from the solution and from future mobile-wallet launches. Susanne Brønnum, Group Executive Vice President, Nets, comments:
"Eika is a key customer of Nets, and we're proud that the bank chose us to help them fulfil their desire to give customers added value in terms of smartphones, too. Nets guarantees that digital payments will be processed securely and efficiently, whether they are transacted on the Internet, at a payment terminal or via a smartphone. The launch of Eika's mobile wallet marks the introduction of a brand-new platform that can be used for much more than payments as Eika expands its range of features."
Eika Kredittbank is part of the Eika Group, which provides financial services and is owned by 75 local banks in Norway, with approximately one million customers. Each local bank is entirely autonomous, with its own name, branding and profile, and the launch of Eika's mobile wallet will enable the local banks to retain their individual identity and local links – even in the bank's mobile solutions. Karl-Richard Floer, Director of Cards and Payment Solutions, Eika, explains: "
We have great expectations for the new solution, which will be available to the first bank customers within a few months. In an environment where customers are increasingly demanding convenient digital solutions, it is important for the local banks in the Eika Alliance to offer a user-friendly mobile wallet. This new mobile payment solution helps the local banks in the alliance to stay close to their customers."
"Eika hopes that other banks and issuers will also quickly adopt this new solution from Nets. It is an open solution designed for collaborative working, and the more players involved, the more value it will collectively create for users."
In addition to Nets and Oberthur Technologies, Samsung Electronics Nordic AB is also participating in the solution, which will be available on selected Samsung handsets in Q2.
"Rummaging through your pockets for change to pay for a newspaper or a train ticket will soon be a thing of the past for Eika customers. The solution uses the embedded secure element eSE, a built-in feature of the Samsung Galaxy S6, to provide consumers with a secure, innovative way to pay for goods using the latest technology," says Stig-Ove Langö, Sales Manager Telecom, Samsung Norway.
About Eika
The Eika Group is one of Norway's leading financial service groups. It is owned by 75 local banks and provides banking solutions to them in the field of infrastructure – including IT, digital solutions and payments – as well as a wide range of financial products and services. The Eika Alliance, which includes the Eika Group, the 75 local banks and Eika Boligkreditt, has one million customers and total assets of more than NOK 350 billion. For more information, please visit www.eika.no.
About Nets
Nets is one of the leading companies in northern Europe specialising in payment solutions, information services and digital security solutions, with one of the most extensive and innovative product portfolios in Europe. Our ambition is to become an even stronger partner to our customers by supporting their business – both nationally and internationally. We seek to make the handling of financial and data assets simpler and more secure. For more information, please visit www.nets.eu.
About Oberthur Technologies
OT is a world leader in digital security solutions for the mobility space. OT has always been at the heart of mobility, from the first smart cards to the latest contactless payment technologies which equip millions of smartphones. Present in the payment services, telecom and identity markets, OT offers end-to-end solutions in the fields of smart transactions, mobile financial services, machine-to-machine, digital identity and transport & access control. OT employs over 6,000 employees worldwide, including close to 700 in R&D. With more than 50 sales offices across 5 continents and 1 manufacturing hub for each region, OT's international network serves clients in 140 countries. For more information, please visit www.oberthur.com.
