NEW YORK, July 30 (Reuters) - Isis, a venture of three ofthe top U.S. mobile providers, said on Tuesday it would expandits much-delayed mobile payments service nationwide later in2013 after it tested the concept with consumers in two markets.
Isis, formed by Verizon Wireless , AT&T Inc and T-Mobile US, is a so-called mobile walletservice that allows consumers to make payments by waving theirphone at a check-out terminal, instead of using a plastic card.
The Isis wallet uses a short range wireless technology knownas near field communication (NFC) technology that will also letconsumers redeem coupons and present loyalty cards "with a tapof their smartphone."
While mobile payment services are long-established in othercountries including Japan, they have been slow to take off inthe United States as they require retailers to install newequipment and cooperation between banks, wireless providers,handset makers and credit card companies.
When Isis launched its two test markets -- in Austin, Texas,and Salt Lake City, Utah -- last year, the service had alreadybeen delayed by several months. It had initially hoped to launchservices in the first half of 2012, but then changed its launchtarget to the summer and again to October.
Isis said that about 20 million consumers already havesmartphones with NFC technology and that 25 of the top 100national U.S. retailers have installed or are in the process ofinstalling the contactless terminals its service would require.
Vodafone (VOD)