ORANGE Scores as Manchester City Football Club trials mobile Phone ticketing

Orange today launched a major trial of mobile contactless services with Manchester City Football Club (MCFC). In the first phase of the trial, the technology will allow fans to use their mobile phones to enter through the turnstiles for home games. In future, the trial may allow the purchase of club merchandise or refreshments during half time, as well as loyalty discounts for fans who regularly attend the matches.

Mobile contactless, otherwise known as Near Field Communications (NFC), eradicates the need to carry cash, bank cards, security or travel passes, and tickets. NFC-enabled SIM cards mean handsets can be used for a combination of daily-life needs, whether it is buying a drink, going to a football game or taking a bus. Users swipe their mobile phone at dedicated terminals or readers, making shopping, commuting or entering buildings simpler, safer and more convenient.

Scheduled to commence in early 2008, NFC-equipped mobile handsets will be supplied to selected MCFC season ticket holders, replacing their existing contactless cards. The football stadium trial will be the first NFC trial undertaken with Orange UK customers, closely followed by a new transport ticketing and information trial with Reading Buses.

Orange is one of the first mobile operators to undertake multi-application NFC trials in Europe. The UK initiatives follow successful French trials already carried out across a number of industries in Nice, Paris, and Caen. These mobile contactless trials are the prelude to a major commercial mobile contactless roll-out in Bordeaux in 2008 which involves ticketing for trains and buses, mobile payments, retail loyalty programmes and information services through interactive advertising.

“Orange's high profile partnership with Manchester City FC is designed to show the diverse application of this emerging technology,” said Mung Ki Woo, VP, Payment & Contactless Services, Orange. “Mobile contactless not only reduces the hassle of cash, the threat of street crime or the scourge of ticket touts. It also allows consumers to interact more fully with shops, travel companies and anyone who they buy services from.”

Already successfully deployed in Japan, mobile contactless technology has now been used to enable ‘intelligent' services such as interactive billboards and ‘readable' retail tags, which allow users to download information, place orders or buy tickets over the internet via their mobile phone.

“As the first English football club to introduce contactless-based ticketing four years ago, we're pleased to be working with Orange in driving this next technology breakthrough,” explains Duncan Martin, head of retail, Manchester City Football Club. “Mobile contactless services will offer many advantages to our fans, including loyalty schemes and discount vouchers.”

Duncan adds, “NFC technology also allows us to build a closer affinity with fans and offer them more than just football. By linking this technology to our customer database, we will use this valuable trial data to analyse customer demand, create more targeted campaigns for our most loyal fans and tackle wider issues such as ticket touting and crowd security. The net result will be a much richer matchday experience for our fans.”

Orange will use the Manchester City trial to gather customer feedback and analyse user behaviour. Combined with feedback from the earlier trials in France, this information will help to enable mass roll-out of mobile contactless services.

Paul Jevons, product and innovations director, Orange UK said, “The trial at Manchester City Football Club is a great example of how mobile phone technology is continuing to make it easier for people to access the services and information that are relevant to them. Mobile contactless services will mean the end of bulging wallets - there will be no need to carry credit and debit cards, travel cards, loyalty cards and security passes. And, we will still be able to provide the information and match information for football fans on one mobile phone.”

Lars Vestergaard, Research Director, Mobile and Wireless, IDC, says, ""IDC believes that mobile contactless services based on Near Field Communications (NFC) technology hold enormous potential. With trials launched today with Manchester City Football Club (MCFC) and Reading Buses, and others already underway in Caen and Paris, Orange confirms that the promise is not just bound to mobile payments but to a wide range of applications and services capable of facilitating everyday interactions and transactions with organisations and other people.""

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