DUBLIN, Ireland—Hutchison 3G, part of the Hutchison Whampoa Group, signed a contract with software developer Network365 for the provision of mobile payment software across eight countries, including the six European countries in which the company has third-generation (3G) interests.
The contract, which is expected to be worth millions of Euro to Network365, involves the supply of software that allows customers to use their handsets as “digital wallets” and make secure payments for products and services. Many next-generation mobile services will require additional payments from customers, and operators are anxious to put in place systems to handle and process irregular, often small payments.
Hutchison 3G, which already has a presence in Hong Kong and Australia, is the most aggressive newcomer in the European 3G mobile market and is said to have evaluated similar offerings from many other, higher profile software developers before awarding the contract.
Roamal Perera, Network365 founder and chief executive, said the software is particularly attractive to Hutchison 3G because as a new market entrant, it needs to introduce new services as quickly as possible.
