Belgian m-payments firm PingPing, owned by mobile operator Belgacom, and Alcatel-Lucent's venture Touchatag have agreed to work together to create an open model to encourage the development of new applications for contactless cards and mobile payment technology. The two firms will define a business model that combines PingPing's payment system for mobile phones and Touchatag's contactless services, such as interactive advertising, loyalty programmes and coupon services. By the fall of 2009, Belgian consumers will be able to initiate a variety of contactless applications such as m-payments based on a contactless card or sticker. PingPing and Touchatag will work together to create an accreditation program that will allow other technology suppliers, operators and application developers to develop new programmes and uses for the technology. Accor Services, which provides meal vouchers and other employee benefits, is the first company to trial the PingPing payment system in combination with Touchatag's contactless applications.
