Roll-out of Near Field technology

Thousands of retailers across the UK are preparing for the roll-out of contactless payment systems in their stores, reports the BBC.

One estimate suggests that 40,000 businesses will be using the Near Field Communication technology (NFC) by the end of the year. Customers can expect to see more contactless payment points introduced in stores later this summer.

The BBC said that Orange and MasterCard are jointly launching an NFC-ready phone between April and June, and a launch by Visa and O2 will follow during the summer.

Although there are concerns over security when paying via mobile phones, Edward Chandler of  MasterCard told the BBC, “It’s as secure as any credit or debit card today.”  He added “We believe from a consumer’s point of view it’s very simple, it’s very secure.”