EE 4G Offers Cash On Tap Mobile Payment Service For NFC Handsets

EE has announced Cash on Tap, a mobile payment service that allows owners of Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled devices to make contactless payments of up to £20.

The operator has partnered with MasterCard for the service, ensuring EE 4G customers with compatible phones will be able to complete transactions at more than 230,000 locations in the UK, including branches of McDonald’s, Boots and Greggs.

The EE 4G Cash on Top application is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia SP and Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE, with more devices added in the next few months.

EE 4G Cash on Tap

It is SIM-based, meaning users must have a recently-issued SIM card tied to the account, although customers can get a new SIM for free from any EE store.

Speaking at an event at London’s Southbank, Pippa Dunn, chief marketing officer at EE, promised eligible customers £10 worth of credit if they signed up for the service. She said that £5 would be added once users activated the application and another £5 when they added money from any UK credit or debit card.

She said EE 4G Cash on Tap formed part of the company’s “innovation” strategy and there is a great future in NFC technology.

Dunn added it was one of the “compelling reasons” to join EE, as are the other new initiatives it has announced, such as shared plans, double speeds and a summer promotion which promises double data allowances for customers who sign up between 17 July and 30 September.

EE is the UK’s only current 4G operator, but rivals are set to launch LTE services later in the year, increasing competition and threatening EE’s target of securing one million customers by the end of 2013.

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