Whereas three years ago, major banks and telcos in the Netherlands looked like they would move forward together on NFC mobile payments, with plans to form a first-of-its kind joint venture, the situation today promises to be much different.
The planned joint venture, which was dubbed “Sixpack” because it would consist of the country’s three major banks and three major telcos, fizzed out.
And while major Dutch banks and telcos could work with each other for their NFC launches, expected next year, the parties are approaching the planned launches in a much more independent way.
The three major banks in the Netherlands, ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank, which in early September launched an NFC trial in the university city of Leiden along with the country’s largest mobile operator, KPN, have vowed to go their separate ways when the trial finishes. It’s scheduled to run through November.
The banks say they will not continue to collaborate with each other closely, either, after the trial, even though they issued a joint RFP or RFI to solicit proposals for a service provider TSM, or SP-TSM. The banks say they will not set up a joint SP-TSM and likely each would hire their own.
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Among Topics Covered:
•Dutch NFC market
•Possible fragmentation following abandonment of JV plans
•Talks between at least one Dutch bank and Samsung Electronics
•Leiden trial and common requirements
Sources Quoted:
•Michel Drupsteen, senior business consultant and payments product manager for ING Netherlands
•Peter van Leeuwen, strategy and development manager,
•Amos Kater, manager, mobile competence center, UL Transaction Security
Among companies and organizations mentioned:
ING
ABN
Vodafone Netherlands
T-Mobile Netherlands
Samsung Electronics
UL Transaction Security
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