Starting October last year to February 2012, Telkom R&D team has been doing mobile NFC payment trial together with NTT Data and NTT Data Indonesia – a subsidiary of NTT Japan. This is the first in Indonesia, even though we all already know that this kind of technology is already very advanced in Japan for years. Unfortunately, there is no certainty when such technology will be widely implemented in Indonesia.
Mobile NFC payment is basically using our phones as a means of payment. Tools that can be associated with NFC can be a phone that has been integrated with NFC chip, SIM Card with NFC technology (or RFID in general) and even a help tool (bride technology) so that even ordinary phone can use it as a means of payment. Performed by two teams, the experiment covers all methods.
SIM card with RFID technology has already implemented by Telkomsel through Tap-Izy. This method can be used in some mini markets in Jakarta region and buying a train ticket in Yogyakarta and Central Java. In Indonesia, it seems that operators have become more active to be the bridge for payment transaction given the potential itself is enormous and make things more practical.
Of course, I dream that one day this technology could be used to reduce the use of currency to cashless society. No need to think about bringing all sorts of petty cash for payment. Imagine if we could use the phone in this way to pay the toll, pay parking rent at the mall or the office, gas, monthly grocery shopping, TransJakarta bus as well as Commuter Line. Convenient, no?
