NEW YORK-Andersen Consulting released its Mobile Micropayments prototype, illustrating how consumers can purchase items using an Internet billing solution from a wireless phone without incurring charges on their phone bills or using the cellular network.
The prototype service would allow a vending machine to notify a person’s mobile device of its contents as the person walks by the machine. If the person wanted to purchase a product from the machine, the phone would prompt the person to enter a personal identification number, authenticating the transaction. The information is passed to the machine wirelessly, without accessing the user’s wireless carrier, which drops the product and bills the online account of the user’s choosing.
Andersen said solutions of this type would enable consumers to pay for vending-machine purchases, taxi fares or shopping trips to the supermarket or mall, through their mobile phones.
“We believe that one of the keys to the success of mobile commerce will be to enable flexible, cost-effective transactions,” said Martin Illsley, director of technology research for Andersen. “With this prototype, you can use your mobile phone to purchase a drink, instead of having to always carry around change. What’s more, the phone reaches out and calls you.”
Currently, the project uses infrared signals to enable two-way communications between the phone and other devices. Future plans call for short-range radio technologies to further expand the range of possibilities for mobile-commerce applications.
Andersen noted other potential uses for the technology include a pocket bargain finder that combines a bar-coder reader, an Internet-enabled cell phone and shopping-agent technology to allow users to find the best online price for books from within a bookstore.
Everypath pact
As previously announced, Andersen reported an agreement with wireless enabler and ASP Everypath Inc. to work together to provide businesses with the ability to translate Internet content that can be accessed and viewed on wireless devices.
As part of the alliance, Andersen will work with Everypath to market its products to corporations and will integrate the Everypath technology into a suite of mobile commerce solutions offered to its clients worldwide.
AC Ventures, the venture-capital unit of Andersen, will take an equity stake in Everypath as part of the deal to help take the company’s technology global.
