Now it sparks at the box office


Google, eBay and other Internet sizes drive the advance payment by mobile phone. They compete with wireless and financial companies to a billion dollar business with customer data and transaction fees - they all want to make the race for the payment system of the future.

When a taxi stops in the second row, the rummaging for cash or swiping a credit card for all those affected be an ordeal. In the Rhine-Main area, then that is their spares both. The cooperative "Taxi Frankfurt" upgraded their cars until July 1400 with readers for paying by radio. Customers need to do a special Visa card to the terminal to hold, and in less than a second is paid the bill. For amounts to 25 euros either PIN or signature is required. "For taxi drivers, this time savings worth gold," says Dieter Schlenker, CEO of Taxi Frankfurt.

Behind the contactless payment is far more than just a comfort for urgent customer - it is a central focal point of a struggle over the distribution of payment systems of the future. So far, the claims were staked firmly: In the offline world, customers paid with cash, debit or credit cards, the Internet via credit card, bank transfer or through special services such as PayPal. Now, the boundaries between online and offline: Internet companies poaching in the area of ​​established financial services - and vice versa. "Like banks, credit card companies, telecommunications operators and Internet companies make their respective systems to the standard," Achim Himmelreich, President of the Section E-Commerce says the Federal Association of the Digital Economy. "But in the market there are too many players. At the end, only two or three procedures remain."



A study by the Cologne EHI Retail Institute, according to invest over half of the major trading companies in the card acceptance infrastructure. By far ahead are contactless payment methods. Nearly three quarters of companies consider them to be particularly promising.

Visa will continue to work with the taxi co-payment procedures be "payWave". It is based on credit cards, which also have a so-called NFC chip. The acronym stands for the wireless standard "Near Field Communication" with a range of a few centimeters. Visas are in Europe from just millions of new NFC cards. They are intended primarily smaller amounts to be paid, where buyers have been mostly used for cash.

When rival MasterCard is the same technique "PayPass". In Germany alone has more than 1.2 million cards in circulation are appropriately equipped. Customers can already be used in a number of retailers and gas stations. "PayPass is no pilot technique, but established in the market," said MasterCard spokesman Thorsten Klein. "The acceptance is increasing, because of the trade in the exchange of terminals automatically receives NFC-enabled devices." Because NFC is a standard that enables terminals - if the correct software is installed - in principle work with any of the various NFC vendors.

The savings banks and local cooperative banks countered with an NFC payment method called "girogo". After a pilot phase, the debit cards (commonly known as "debit cards") of the Institute from mid shipped nationwide with integrated NFC chip. By 2015, all 45 million cards to be replaced. The competition, however, smugly refers to the fact that banks and savings banks have already failed once with a foray in cash substitute ". Girogo is an attempt to revive the cash card as a contactless version is not enough," quips small. While with the credit card companies namely the fees are paid regularly, customers need to recharge their cards in advance of girogo.

For Horst Rueter, Director of Research payment systems at EHI Retail Institute, already the implementation strategy of the bank card was incorrect: "Not typical small-pay sectors were chosen as pilots, but those who were able to start-nothing - about textile company." In addition, the charging was too cumbersome. "Who wants to buy something spontaneously and does not have enough money on the card, must first look for a charging station."

With NFC, the operators want it now do better. Girogo customers can also recharge the business. There is also a Subscription function: If the credit is going to end, is automatically reloaded. One drawback, however, remains: If a Girogo card stolen, and the amount charged is gone - not more than up to 200 euros. Not so with NFC credit cards: "If you lose any money goes lost, the cardholder is no threat of damage," said MasterCard spokesman Klein.

The trade is still at least on girogo. Chains such as Douglas, Edeka and Esso are already partners. Dealers who already accept PayPass or payWave must also buy new readers - the terminal can be updated to girogo. In addition, the transaction fees for merchants at girogo are cheaper.

But regardless of the question of whose radio plastic cards will be most successful - that's really exciting to the NFC its potential to also make phones for purse. Many new models from Sony, Samsung and Nokia have NFC on board as standard, probably as the next iPhone. With a corresponding app phones work exactly the same way as a NFC-enabled credit or debit card: When the phone had been connected with the terminal of the dealer, the amount collected from the account - with sums from 20 euros after entering the PIN.

Manage your mobile phone so that - after several failed attempts - but still the breakthrough as a payment method? The odds were never better. The proliferation of NFC cards and their growing acceptance in supermarkets, drug stores and clothing stores could also pave the way for NFC smartphones. "The goal of all projects is to bring debit or credit card on the phone," says Christian von Hammel-Bonten, Vice President for Financial Services Telecommunications Wirecard. "But there will be no revolution, but an evolution.'s Infrastructure is still being built." Thanks to NFC, according to analyst firm Juniper Research, the global market for mobile payment triple by 2015. Study author David Snow speaks of "spectacular growth" across all segments - banking, payment transactions and coupons.

Superficially, it is likely customers to worry about whether the NFC chip in the phone or in the credit card sits, says expert heaven. But in conjunction with a smartphone app entirely new possibilities: The cash-like payment via NFC can be integrated seamlessly into applications for online banking, Internet payments, discount or voucher schemes, so that the user has only one-stop shop for everything , has to do somehow with money and shopping. Smartphones make it an ideal bridge between the Web and the real world.

Who here has a direct contact to customers is just as open as controversial question. The braiding of collaborations is barely manageable. Visa as invested in the start-up Square, which produces credit card reader for mobile phones, and bought Fundamo, a provider of mobile payment systems. Moreover, the credit card company came with rivals MasterCard, Discover and American Express in the joint venture Isis, the mobile operators AT & T, T-Mobile and Verizon - a joint project for paying with NFC phones. The pilot will take place in Salt Lake City, where customers get discounts if they pay with the Isis App. American Express also happen to be cooperating with the social networks Facebook and Foursquare.

In an act of forward defense MasterCard introduced in May "PayPass wallet" before. The cloud-based solution is to make the numbers in e-commerce easier and more convenient - and combine payments on the network and the business under one roof. In order for the credit card company is a direct competitor of eBay subsidiary PayPal. That's a good reason: The adult network the credit card companies, the fiercest competitors. Key Pousttchi, head of the research group at the University of Mobile Wi-Augsburg, calls it "AGFEA" - Apple, Google, Facebook, Ebay and Amazon. You all are also working on solutions for NFC mobile payment. "It remains the established payment providers two years to defending against the onslaught, then it is too late."

Already dominate payment systems from the U.S. internet. The smartphone them now paves the way to the real world. "If PayPal and Co. assert that has economic consequences," warns Pousttchi. "It's not just about hundreds of thousands of jobs, moving to America. The risk that U.S. corporations now control the global cash flows." For the companies involved is doubly profitable: You get not only transaction fees they collect massive data. Information of payment processing are worth money. "Shopping at the supermarket is so far mostly anonymous," says expert heaven. Customers will pay in the store by app, they can no longer conceal their buying behavior. This allows merchants tailor discounts and promotions. "For such information, trading companies like to give money out," said Himmelreich.

Mobile payment is the most Google. Californians took a year ago, "Google Wallet" on the market. Here, too, the user needs to log in only once to pay under a single brand, both in the real world using NFC-enabled mobile phone or the Internet via a browser. The list of partners, including Foot Locker, Macy's and Duane Reade continues to grow. User numbers noncommunicating Google says spokesman Klaas Flechsig, but more than 150,000 online and offline dealers already accepted payments with Wallet. Who created apps for Google's Android operating system, come on now no longer pass the Google wallet. Programmers Can sales and payments, so that's what the policy conduct, only through Google Wallet. Currently, the service, which requires a Citi MasterCard or a Google Prepaid Card, limited to the U.S.. Since the Group has secured a European banking license but an expansion is probably only a matter of time.

Even PayPal, with more than 100 million customers of the largest payment service on the Internet, wants to conquer the counter. In addition to the huge customer base may PayPal score with his reputation: In a survey of advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather PayPal landed behind Visa, MasterCard and American Express to fourth place of the most trusted mobile payment provider - well ahead of Apple, Google and Facebook.

However, PayPal is not based on NFC, but on so-called QR codes ("Quick Response"). PayPal is currently testing Apple Store in Berlin a solution of the Essen IT service Itellium: A customer needs with his smartphone and the appropriate app to photograph only a QR code and confirm the purchase with his secret number. Bank details and delivery address are already stored in the PayPal account. The app takes over the payments and reports the sale of the inventory control system of the dealer who delivers the goods then. Avoid the hassle of standing in line, arguing PayPal. Between merchant and customer also find neither a direct data exchange yet it come to sending sensitive data over the Internet.

With QR codes can businesses get their products, even after closing the man, by affixing a code in the window. Online merchants can turn to show their wares outside of the Internet, such as on billboards. How does this work, the company shows Tesco in South Korea: The metro stops plastered with photographed supermarket shelves. On each product is a QR code printed - as a passenger between two sheets do his shopping. World Champion Pay with QR codes is Starbucks. Since early 2011, customers can pay with an app. In the first 14 months, there were more than 45 million transactions. Therefore the client must first create a Starbucks account and charge it with money. To pay, he starts his Starbucks app that generates a QR code on the screen. This will be scanned at the checkout and the amount due is debited from the account. Who uses the app collects same loyalty points - an incentive that apparently meets at Starbucks customer acceptance.

QR codes are currently the most efficient way to move customers to the mobile payment, says Nick Holland, an analyst at Yankee Group. But the turning point was reached: 2015 would be the wireless technology already used twice as often as the QR codes. The turnover NFC transactions will then reach $ 230 billion, estimates the Yankee Group. Also of mutton Bonten sees in recording the image of black and white patterns, only a bridge technology, "The mobile phone users have the extra step to go through the camera function - that negates the speed advantage," he says. The QR-ready pioneer therefore before the NFC future. Starbucks wants to use the code only until enough NFC phones on the market. And PayPal already experimented in Sweden with an NFC app.

The banks keep the mobile payment, however still down markedly. "Most banks want to continue the traditional business: wrap at the end from the payment and get a fee," says researcher Pousttchi. "They overlook the fact that they lose in their very own business in influence." Erwin also Selg, IT Manager at GFT Services, warns: "The mobile payment, the banks lose the customer contact and are separated by a layer technology by the customer."

Already knocked off the wireless service provider. They were the subject of mobile payment several years ago on the agenda. Since 2009, O2, Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom in Germany operate the payment system "mpass", which is intended primarily for online purchases. But few webshops with make, also the usability is modest, the customer has on the merchant website and a phone number mpass PIN. Then he receives a text message with a transaction number. He has to type again to complete the payment. In the second half of 2012, the system will also feed into retail.

"Mpass is the only thing that the German mobile operators have the mobile payment date on their feet - and not a success story," says researcher Pousttchi. "Now they swim off the skins. And the others make the deal." Only in emerging markets like systems are successful. There they are, however, less the direct payment, but rather the transferring of money between people without a bank account.

In terms of confidence, the telecom companies still refuel. Only twelve percent of them speak German to the mobile payment security skills, according to a survey of management consultancy Shine & Partners. The banks get to 34 percent. Tim Güneysu, IT researchers at the Ruhr-University Bochum, holds the security concerns, at least for NFC is exaggerated. Radio transmission is not dangerous per se, and the NFC field has a radius of only a few centimeters. "The chip is protected, encrypted transmission. Banking data can be read out as this is not easy," says Güneysu. The greatest risk are the users themselves ". Some turn the phone lock or store the PIN in a text then a thief has easy game," says Güneysu. Dangers threatened also by virus infected mobile apps. Criminals also about sticking QR codes to redirect the payment.

So cash is still the safer bank? Half of German mobile payment systems categorically rejects. "People are going as long as possible to pay with cash," says study author Joachim Nickelsen of Shine & Partners. "Consumers respond to data breaches highly sensitive The most likely reaction:.. Relapse into old patterns pay" In other countries, there is a different perception. In Sweden, just coins and notes for safety are frowned upon. ABBA musicians Bjorn Ulvaeus demanded finally even the abolition of cash. His son had been robbed three times - for the writer of the song "Money, Money, Money," a testament to the uncertainty of paper and coins. The Norse were familiar with the smartphone and therefore accepted the new features more easily, says Nickelsen.

In Germany, there needs to be more of those working in. After all, when it comes to NFC now pull all together. "Even if an international provider as we have a better chance, it does well in the market, if push the savings contactless payment," even admits MasterCard spokesman Klein.

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