Isis mobile payments to start off in Austin
updated 04:50 pm EDT, Wed June 22, 2011
Joins Salt Lake City in early NFC service launch
Mobile commerce services provider Isis has identified Austin, Texas as one of its first target markets. Starting sometime in the first six months of 2012, Austin residents will be able make purchases at participating shops throughout the city by using an Isis-enabled phone with NFC instead of swiping a credit card. The team didn't say which specific stores or services would get the new support.
Isis is a joint venture of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. The company originally had planned to roll out a comprehensive NFC-based mobile payment service, but more recently scaled back its goals, choosing instead create a "mobile wallet" that will link a user's existing Visa, MasterCard or other major credit card to the account.
Austin is the second city to be named as part of Isis' rollout strategy. In April, the company identified Salt Lake City as its first location. There, residents will be able to pay for public transportation as well as goods in local stores.
