The new CEO of TSM NZ, the NFC joint venture formed by Paymark, Telecom New Zealand, Vodafone and 2degrees in 2012, has announced that its mobile wallet will be available to the New Zealand market in the second half of 2014.

ELLIS: "This is going to touch the lives of every New Zealander and we have to get it right"

"There has been a lot of anticipation about the arrival of our wallet and unquestionably it will be a game changer," says new head Rob Ellis. "This is going to touch the lives of every New Zealander and we have to get it right.

"We're working hard to get to market as quickly as possible but also ensuring that we deliver a world class and highly secure solution. Between now and the launch of our TSM NZ mobile wallet next year, you'll see a number of leaner offerings available from our partners.

"These may, for example, involve one bank, or one card. It's all part of the wider project to build momentum and understanding in the market and help to educate Kiwis about the possibilities of this exciting technology."

"We're building a platform that is open access," he adds. "That means that all New Zealand banks, payments and other service providers — from loyalty to transport companies — will be able to create applications for digital versions of their cards to be stored in the wallet.

"Unlike most other local and international examples, this wallet will not be exclusive to one bank or one mobile network operator."