BNP Paribas is taking part in the “Nice ville NFC* 2010” operation with two trial offers: a contactless payment card and the BNP Paribas (KIX) mobile payment application.
This trial culminates more than two years of work and will allow BNP Paribas to test customer appetite for these new technologies and observe their new uses in the field not just by customers but also by merchants and operators
The contactless payment card or dual card, is a standard card with a “contactless option” (the Visa “contactless” pictogram
appears to the left of the chip).
This contactless card gives customers an easier way to pay for their small purchases. They are required to enter their PIN codes only for amounts over 20 euros.
For customers, this new fast, efficient and convenient means of payment makes small purchases much easier. For merchants, contactless cards shorten queues and make transactions quicker and more convenient.
BNP Paribas plans to issue 5000 contactless cards to its customers very soon. The contactless feature will carry no additional fees and will be offered free of charge to BNP Paribas customers.
Mobile phone payment allows customers who have an NFC phone to use it to pay for their purchases directly from merchants having an NFC payment terminal.
By default, customers must enter their private codes, but for purchases of less than 20 euros, customers may choose not to enter their PIN codes.
BNP Paribas offers its customers a mobile-adapted banking application called “KIX”. This application is hosted on a SIM operator card, which itself is installed on a NFC mobile phone.
For the Nice trial run, BNP Paribas is targeting all holders of VISA CLASSIC, PREMIER and INFINITE cards in the city and its metropolitan area. 43 branches are involved in this initiative.
A branch poster campaign will begin in mid-June, along with an ATM marketing campaign. A web page will be set up (www.bnpparibas.net/nice (unavailable link)) to inform customers about BNP Paribas's contactless offer, as well as a list of participating merchants. A WAP page will also be available on mobile phones at https://portail.mobile.bnpparibas.net/kix-payer-sans-contac (unavailable link)t
As part of its effort to keep abreast of global technological change and to anticipate its customers' needs, BNP Paribas has, since 2007, invested in developing innovative means of payment using NFC technology.
As early as 2007, BNP Paribas took part in trials in Caen and Strasbourg, offering residents the opportunity to pay for their purchases using an NFC mobile phone. In 2009, BNP Paribas continued its tests, this time offering its cardholders the opportunity to pay for their purchases with dual cards, i.e., conventional bankcards equipped with a NFC feature for contactless payment.
*Near Field Communication
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) is one of the six strongest banks in the world according to Standard & Poor's* and the largest bank in the eurozone by deposits. With a presence in more than 80 countries and more than 200,000 employees, including 160,000 in Europe, BNP Paribas is a leading European provider of financial services on a worldwide scale. It ranks highly in its three core activities: Retail Banking, Investment Solutions and Corporate & Investment Banking. In Retail Banking, the Group has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated model across the Europe-Mediterranean zone and boasts a large network in the United States. BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending in Europe. In its Corporate & Investment Banking and Investment Solutions activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe and solid and fast-growing businesses in Asia.
*Within its peer group