Isis, the mobile commerce joint venture created by AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA Inc. and Verizon Wireless, announced that payment terminal manufacturers and software providers are integrating Isis SmartTap capabilities across a range of point-of-sale (POS) offerings, from high-end integrated POS terminals to vending and other unattended solutions. Isis is preparing for national availability later this year, it said Sept. 4 in a press release.

The Isis SmartTap protocol is a new, proprietary mobile commerce software specification that leverages near field communications (NFC) technology, a standard feature on most new smartphones. When supported in an NFC reader or payment terminal, the SmartTap protocol enables Isis Mobile Wallet users to pay, present loyalty cards and redeem offers in a single transaction.

“NFC is the international standard for mobile payments,” said Jim Stapleton, chief sales officer, Isis. “The proliferation of SmartTap capabilities at the point-of-sale takes mobile payments one step further, providing rich commerce features that offer an effortless consumer experience and drive engagement and loyalty in a way previously not possible. By providing Isis Ready solutions, POS, payment terminal and reader providers can deliver innovative technologies that will benefit merchants for years to come.”

Providers supporting SmartTap capabilities enable mobile commerce in a diverse range of environments such as mass transit, vending machines, fuel pumps, taxis, restaurants, grocery and retail stores.

New partners integrating SmartTap capabilities into product lines include:

  • ID TECH
  • On Track Innovations (OTI) Global
  • PAX Technology
  • Uniform Industrial Corporation (UIC)
  • XAC Automation Corporation

Technology providers that have already integrated SmartTap capabilities into POS offerings, including:

  • Equinox Payments
  • Gilbarco Veeder-Root
  • Ingenico
  • VeriFone
  • Wayne, A GE Energy Business

Mobilizing payments, loyalty and offers creates new merchant marketing opportunities, while streamlining the customer experience. A SmartTap-enabled POS terminal automatically recognizes and applies loyalty cards loaded in the Isis Mobile Wallet. Similarly, Isis Mobile Wallet users benefit from the ability to receive, store and present offers with SmartTap-enabled merchants.

“Roughly one-sixth of U.S. payment terminals are replaced each year. To fully benefit from mobile payments, this hardware replacement must be accompanied with a software infrastructure that enables the compelling shopping, selling and loyalty solutions that will drive changes in merchant and consumer behavior,” said Rick Oglesby, senior analyst, Aite Group.

Isis, a venture comprising AT&T Mobility LLC, T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Verizon Wireless, is based in New York City. The venture is chartered with building Isis, a national mobile commerce venture aiming to transform how people shop, pay and save. The Isis Mobile Commerce Platform will be available to all merchants, banks, payment networks and mobile carriers. Isis, Isis Mobile Wallet, Isis Ready, Isis Mobile Commerce Platform and the associated logos are trademarks of JVL Ventures, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Jennifer Miles, president of VeriFone Americas, said, “The value in mobility is not in how you pay, it’s about creating a more meaningful and rewarding interaction between a brand and its customer, and mobile wallets are an important part of that. As the payment partner of choice for 75 percent of the top 200 U.S. retailers, and with systems deployed across thousands of small and medium-size businesses, VeriFone, along with Isis, is creating the path for greater mobile payment acceptance nationwide.”

Patrick Hazel, chairman and CEO of Equinox Payments, said, “Collaborations like this allow Equinox to help our customers keep pace with the rapid changes our industry is facing. SmartTap will pair extremely well with our next-generation NFC-enabled Apollo platform and our L5000 family of payment terminals and we’re pleased to support Isis in the development of these very important technologies.”

Mike Schulte, president of Gilbarco Veeder-Root North America, said, “As mobile payment continues to gain momentum, we are proud to provide an Isis-enabled fuel dispenser solution. Our partnership with Isis will ultimately help fuel retailers provide a better customer experience by enabling simple mobile payments at the pump.  By pursuing a modular hardware path, retailers who elect to upgrade with NFC hardware today on Gilbarco pumps will also be able to leverage that investment for contactless EMV payments in the future.”

Tim Weston, product manager of payment for Wayne in North America, said, “Wayne embraces emerging technologies that benefit the evolving needs of our customers, and mobile payment is one that we can deliver on the forecourt.  The Wayne TAP™ contactless/NFC reader helps our forward-thinking retailers expand their payment and marketing opportunities at the pump, engaging with customers for a better experience on the forecourt.  The efforts between Wayne and Isis are very synergistic – we’re two leaders in our respective industries working together to bring innovation into the daily activities of all customers.”