Survey Results Reveal an Increase in Contactless Payments via New MasterCard Mobile with PayPass

A Majority of Trial Users Surveyed said they Enjoy Using a Mobile Phone to Make Daily Payments.

Taiwan,- MasterCard Worldwide in collaboration with Taiwan Mobile and Taipei Fubon Bank today announced the initial results of a survey conducted in line with trial of MasterCard® Mobile with PayPass™. The survey results revealed that over 75% of the trial program participants preferred using MasterCard PayPass on mobile phones than traditional contact-based cards. Participants found it highly useful to be able to access their funds via their mobile phone, receive extensive acceptance and download coupons for storage within their mobile phone.

The NFC* -enabled mobile phone, which is equipped with MasterCard PayPass, was launched in early 2007 to provide consumers in Taiwan an innovative contactless payment device that would carry the same payment functionality and services that payment cards provide. One hundred consumers were selected by Taiwan Mobile to test the MasterCard PayPass payment feature embedded on a Nokia 3220 mobile phone.
*NFC is a short-range proximity technology that uses radio frequency (RF) to enable secure, contactless communication between two devices.

Survey Results of the MasterCard Mobile with PayPass Trial Program

To fully understand consumers’ perception towards the new payment mode, MasterCard together with Taiwan Mobile and Taipei Fubon Bank carried out a survey with 100 consumers. Each consumer was tasked to use their MasterCard Mobile with PayPass to make payments, as well as download e-coupons in real-time or in advance at more than 2,000 merchant acceptance locations in Taiwan. The following is a summery of the survey results:

• Participants using the Nokia 3220 equipped with MasterCard PayPass made payments more often when compared to using traditional contact-based cards. Participants cite “mobility” and “real-time e-coupon download” as the two major advantages of MasterCard Mobile with PayPass.

• More than 25% of participants who used their PayPass card 2 to 3 times a month prior to the trial program increased their frequency of usage to more than 3 times a month after experiencing MasterCard Mobile with PayPass.

• More than 40% of users surveyed expressed preference towards using e-coupons because of its “rewarding privileges”, “customization towards their personal shopping habits” and “extensive link to various merchant stores.”

• 67.8% of program participants were satisfied with the trial experience and would like to continue/renew their MasterCard Mobile with PayPass in the future.

U-Kan Din, General Manager of Taipei Fubon Bank said, “Taipei Fubon Bank is enlightened by the positive response received from the participants that are currently testing MasterCard Mobile with PayPass. Based on this successful experience, Taipei Fubon Bank will continue to provide a diverse portfolio of services in order to bring consumers a more convenient and friendly shopping experience accustomed to their lifestyle needs.”

“For telecom service providers, the mobile payments market has been an important area that we wish to develop. During the trial program of MasterCard Mobile with PayPass, consumers were able to experience a state-of-the-art contactless payment solution, as well as download e-coupons anytime anywhere. We will endeavor to continue to promote MasterCard Mobile with PayPass with embedded NFC technology in order to provide innovative services to consumers,” said Jang-Chen Dong, Senior General Manager, Strategic Marketing Department, Taiwan Mobile.

“Initiating surveys during the trial period is essential in understanding consumer uptake and receptiveness towards new technology. From the results,** we can see that consumers in Taiwan are accepting the multiple benefits of the program, such as its e-coupon service and ease when making payments,” said Tina Chiang, senior vice president and country manager, Greater China, MasterCard Worldwide. “As the first market in Asia/Pacific to launch MasterCard Mobile with PayPass, we are delighted that the trial program has been met with success. We look forward to working closely with Taipei Fubon Bank and Taiwan Mobile to officially launch this program in order for consumers to enjoy the benefits of secure, convenient and quick transactions that can be conducted with their mobile phone"

As of Q1 2007, consumers can use their MasterCard Mobile with PayPass at any one of the 51,000 PayPass-enabled merchants globally, including over 2,000 merchant acceptance locations in Taiwan. Merchant outlets in Taiwan include: Hi-Life Convenience Stores, Wellcome Supermarkets, Cinemark Theater, IS Coffee, the Nan Ren Hu Highway Service Area, and Captain Stores. Moreover, consumers will also be able to make payments on the transportation network in Southern Taiwan.

This payment solution is also environmentally friendly as it allows “e-coupons,” which are transferred electronically through NFC mobile sensors, to be stored on a mobile phone rather than using traditional paper coupons.
**The trial results are only directional findings as the sample size (less than 100) are not statistically relevant.