After many successful NFC trials over the last years, especially in Europe, it is now time to turn them into real commercial services. The mobile operators started sourcing TSM (Trusted Service Management) platforms, maybe even wallet solutions, as well as NFC enabled SIM cards & handsets and are feeling technically ready to launch massively the NFC services. But we noticed that many questions are still not answered by the typical TSM only or TSM & Wallet set up, and this could harm the success this of new era.
Mobile operators should proof check their NFC set up against the 7 following points:
1 - How is Customer Care service ensured for the new NFC services?
A new technology or a new service always leads to increased customer care solicitation. In order to optimize service for subscribers and customer care costs a single end-to-end system, including a Webselfcare interface, for all NFC related issues should be available.
2 - How to ensure efficient NFC service discovery?
Out of the box services were sufficient in the very beginning of NFC (a Box including 1 NFC handset with NFC SIM and one or few preloaded NFC applications). In the commercial version of the system, subscribers should use many NFC applications. The question is how to make them discover all the new services that will be made regularly available? On the one side, the service providers will promote them, but we recommend that mobile operators implement an efficient service discovery feature, including profiling (device, geolocalization), similar to what Amazon is doing with their recommendations.
3 - How to decide which version to download on which handset?
During the trial it was easy to identify what applications versions should be loaded, as there were maybe 1 or 2 NFC devices available, with few NFC applications preloaded. But then again, all mobile operators’ subscribers could in theory be interested in NFC service? So, the system needs of course to check if the device and SIM card are NFC enabled. But it needs to also find out what OS the device is supporting and what exact features the device model is offering in order to offer the right applet/widget version. And what would happen if end-user changes their device? We are not convinced that existing set ups have already solved all these questions.
4 - Is Multibrand or multi country management possible?
Many mobile operators have segmented their offering into different brands within one country, or operate with a single brand in several countries or even a combination of both. How should this fact impact the ideal NFC set up? A built-in multi tenancy capability would be preferable.
5 - How to manage easily multiple service providers?
Obviously, many different service providers (banks, transportation companies, retail stores) will need to be connected & managed to the operator’s NFC environment: connected to TSM, maybe with wallet and maybe even other services. Operators should think about a simple process and single point of contact to set up rapidly any new SP in the system.
6 - What if several wallets are to be offered?
In the near future, mobile operators may want to have multiple wallets being managed –one for each of their brands, or for each country where they are present, one for prepaid and another for postpaid subscribers. Can this be achieved in the existing set up?
7 - Are all communication issues between the TSM and the wallet satisfying?
We generally noticed that mobile operators are using TSM from vendor A and wallet from vendor B. This often raises incompatibility issues, long lasting infructuous discussions and high additional costs and again many open points for important functionalities. Filling this gap could be one of the keys to success.
If you would like to get answers to these questions: get contacted by one of our experts!
Do you see other points to be added to this list? Just comment!
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