Isis, the forthcoming nationwide m-commerce network spearheaded by Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile USA, is exploring opportunities to expand its services internationally, Bloomberg reports.
Isis marketing head Jaymee Johnson reveals that executives have held discussions exploring overseas opportunities. "The underlying equity partners in ISIS give us some degree of visibility and awareness beyond the U.S.," Johnson said. (Multinational operator Vodafone owns 45 percent of Verizon Wireless, and Germany's Deutsche Telekom owns T-Mobile USA.) Johnson declined to name prospective Isis partners.
Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile USA first announced Isis in late 2010, with consumer trials targeting the Salt Lake City and Austin, Tex. markets slated to begin sometime in early-to-mid-2012. Beyond Near Field Communications-based contactless payment services, the Isis network also will support retailer loyalty card programs, coupons and offers and related promotions.
In May, Isis said it would open its system to all interested credit issuers and banks, and in July welcomed financial services providers Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express to its ranks. In addition, six device manufacturers--HTC, LG, Motorola Mobility, Research In Motion, Samsung Mobile and Sony Ericsson--have committed to introducing devices that support the Isis platform. Earlier this week, Isis announced it will team with digital security firm Gemalto to boost safety around mobile payments and related services.
Isis faces competition from a host of rival m-payment services, including the Google Wallet tap-and-pay application. Last week, Verizon Wireless confirmed it will ship the new Android-powered Galaxy Nexus smartphone without preloading Google Wallet, although the operator said it remains in discussions with Google on the subject.
Mobile payments for digital and physical goods, mobile money transfers and NFC-enabled contactless transactions will almost triple from $240 billion in 2011 to $670 billion in 2015, Juniper Research forecasts. The firm credits the accelerating adoption of mobile ticketing, NFC contactless payments, physical goods purchases and money transfers in both developed and emerging markets as the catalysts behind the expected growth, adding that the number of mobile money users will double by 2013.
