After successfully conducting their first NFC-enabled project a few months ago, Smart is at it again with their NFC powered Tap2Pay initiative launched together with BDO. The new service leverages the Telco’s Smart Money service to power the new service, which will be used during Worldbex’s Services International’s World Bazaar Festival. Like the previous offering for NFC, only postpaid Nokia C7 toting Smart subscribers will be able to partake in the NFC party, who will be given free Smart Money accounts with a credit amount of P50. They can then use Tap2Pay to gain entrance to the Philippines’ longest-running charity event which will be held from December 10-18, 2011 at the World Trade Center in Manila. All they have to do is use their Nokia C7 handsets to tap on specially-marked posters located at the bazaar entrance to avail of their entrance ticket to the bazaar.
Before Nokia C7 owners can make use Tap2Pay, however, they must first update their phone software to activate the NFC feature. This can be done by going to the phone’s update menu or by connecting the phone to a computer using Nokia PC Suite (standard data rates apply).
Similarly, C7 users can also visit the nearest Nokia Care Center to have their phone software updated for free. Tap2Pay by Smart Money only works with NFC-enabled phones.
It seems that this particular event is a beta test of sorts for Smart’s NFC system, and it’s pretty certain that the telco will roll out a more comprehensive NFC program integrated with their Smart Money service, especially since NFC capability is showing up in more smartphones than ever before.