Visa Europe has launched a ‘Mobile Gateway and Key Management Service’ designed to enhance the security of its mobile contactless payment programmes.

The service aims to create a secure connection between Visa issuers’ host systems that are connected to Visa’s Authorisation Systems and the Visa Mobile Payment Application which resides in a chip in the handset.

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This chip can either be an embedded chip, a removable memory card or a SIM card. The service enables basic application and account management, including passcode or “PIN” reset, periodic updates of the Visa application for operations such as offline counter reset, and balance enquiry. Visa is also enabling the top-up of prepaid mobile applications through the system.  

“Leveraging the advantages that mobile capability can offer to payments requires more than simply making the phone interact like a plastic card, and commercialisation requires many pieces of a complex jigsaw puzzle to be in place,” commented Sandra Alzetta, head of innovation at Visa Europe.

“As NFC handsets and contactless accessories for existing phones become available and the contactless acceptance infrastructure grows, Visa is ensuring that the back-end technologies to support mobile contactless launches are designed for scale and maximum security.”

Visa Europe will be offering the service for new mobile contactless projects in countries where Visa issuers have already implemented or have launched contactless card programmes. These include Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK.

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“We know from extensive research and trials that whilst consumers strongly recognise the benefits of mobile payments, security is a concern,” said Alzetta.

“This new service is designed to provide Visa issuers with tools to reassure consumers that mobile contactless payments are safe to use and to evolve from pilots to commercial roll-out.”