TOKYO—KDDI, the second-largest telecom operator in Japan, announced it will launch a field trial for credit card settlement using third-generation (3G) handsets in the fourth quarter. Four leading credit card companies in Japan, including JCB Company and UC Card Company, will join the field test.
KDDI launched nationwide 3G service based on cdmaOne 1x on 1 April.
The field trial based on the next-generation User Identity Module (UIM) card will be the first mobile credit card settlement trial. With the new handset to be equipped with the UIM card, mobile users can settle their payments for online shopping and real-world shopping.
Hitachi, a leading Japanese vendor, is going to develop a new cdmaOne 1x handset for the trial. Dainippon Printing and SchlumbergerSema will provide UIM card technologies, and IBM Japan will provide PKI technologies for the project. KDDI is going to market multi-use handsets with settlement functions by March 2004.
