Payment service provider CreditCall is developing a mobile payment app called CardEase Mobile that allows fully secured Chip & PIN (EMV) or magnetic-stripe transactions to take place on BlackBerry and other smartphones.
Available in the autumn, the service is aimed primarily at field service technicians and mobile traders, as well as queue-busting in busy retail environments, but it can easily be used as a standalone application, such as selling clothing and merchandise at a festival, it is aimed at third-party developers who can integrate with other smartphone apps such as retail order-taking or field service. An easy-to-use API will be available as well.
The card is read and the user’s PIN entered on a separate Bluetooth-linked PIN Pad that can be paired to the smartphone. The data is encrypted while in transit and on a smartphone, then sent over a wireless network to authorize the transaction. A transaction receipt can then be sent to the customer by email, SMS or in paper format from an optional printer.
Marketing Director at CreditCall, Peter Alcock, said: “We have experienced huge interest in CardEase Mobile from across the globe; particularly in areas of the world where Chip & PIN credit cards are already in use. We have shown the solution to a number of potential partners, which has created a real buzz about its capabilities.”
A demo is available on YouTube
