mobilkom Launches NFC Phone Complete with Tags

Austrian mobile operator mobilkom austria is launching an NFC (Near Field Communication) enabled mobile phone, the Nokia 6212 classic, complete with Topaz NFC tags from Innovision Research & Technology in the box. mobilkom austria is the first mobile operator to commercially distribute a phone with a set of NFC service tags.
The Nokia 6212 includes all the usual mobile phone features, including a camera, stereo radio, music player and bright QVGA screen, together with NFC. The phone will come with four Topaz NFC tags, enabling quick, safe and convenient access to mobile services with a single touch.
Each tag is pre-programmed with a WAP link. The user simply touches the appropriate tag with their NFC phone and follows the link to the desired Vodafone live! WAP page. The use of NFC tag technology, says Innovision, will enable consumers to access ringtones, pictures and animations more easily. The second tag links to traffic information and fuel price updates provided by the Austrian automobile club, while the third links to sports news, provided by Austria’s sport channel Laola1.
The fourth tag has a link to a WAP page for purchasing ÖBB Handy-Tickets for use on the train. This ÖBB tag is currently in use in a trial launched in January 2009 by mobilkom austria, ÖBB and Nokia. Participants in the trial place their mobile ticket order by touching the ÖBB Handy-Ticket Topaz NFC tag with their NFC phone to receive an electronic ticket, which will be validated via NFC by the train conductor The Handy Ticket trial is currently running on two routes around Vienna.
NFC is designed to improve the user experience of mobile services and make service initiation more convenient, which is critical for a broad adoption of mobile services. A recent survey compiled by Mformation found that 85% of users reported they were frustrated by the difficulty of getting a new phone up and working. NFC tags can be programmed to enable the consumer to access online services more easily. Topaz can also be used to help pair the handset with other devices, such as Bluetooth headsets, at a touch.