Near Field Communication (NFC) is a relatively new technology soon to be introduced into the marketplace commercially. It is a technology that will evolve your mobile phone into an interface tool for the physical world, much like the computer mouse in your hand is an interface for the virtual world. The concept is very simple and intuitive; tapping or touching your mobile phone to another device to initiate an action, such as making a quick payment at a cash register, or easily unlocking a closed door. NFC will also be incorporated in other consumer devices and products to allow interaction and/or communication between those devices.

NFC is similar to Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) but far more functional when incorporated in products or devices such as mobile phones. RFID is a useful Contactless (proximity) technology most of us use today but may not realize it or take for granted. Some common examples are:

  • Electronic Toll  Collection (i.e. TollTag) and public transit fare collection 
  • Access Control- building access cards, key tags or electronic keys 
  • Automobile key authentication (i.e. Automobile Immobilization Systems)
  • Household pet identification (veterinarian-placed ID tags/capsules)
  • Certain types of electronic credit and debit cards, Speedpass key tag

NFC can emulate RFID functionality, both as a Tag (also referred to as a token or transponder) which is usually the mobile component used to provide unique identification information, and as a Reader  (or Interrogator) which is generally the fixed or stationary component used to read or identify tags. When NFC technology is incorporated into a device like a mobile phone that has a display, keypad, programmable memory and wireless Internet connection, the NFC mobile phone can emulate multiple tags, tokens or cards, as well as provide additional contactless functionality. Some functionality includes:

  • Payment at the retail register or Point-of-Sale
  • Public Transportation fare payment
  • Entertainment venue access (electronic tickets)
  • Electronic coupons, store or club membership identification
  • Building, facility or room access (electronic keys)
  • Ability to lock the phone so the contactless or payment function is disabled
  • Wireless updates of credentials (known as Over-The-Air/OTA management)
  • The ability for the phone’s mobile web browser to automatically go to a website  simply by touching the mobile phone to a "tagged" poster or advertisement, to obtain further information on, or service for, the content displayed by the poster (known as Service or Content Discovery).
  • The ability for two NFC devices to connect or synchronize simply by touching the two devices together (i.e. mobile handset and wireless earpiece)

For more information on NFC please go to:  www.nfc-forum.org