Htc One and Vodafone Smartpass

[Tink-GB]

Anyone know why we still have to employ the use of a horrible sticker instead of utilising the phone's built in NFC chip.?

I'm after an update to previous threads now we are into nearly 2015...and appear no further forward with VF.  Any news if an nfc sim is available for the M8 yet?

The addition is a one fit all solution i realise, but surely if the phone already has NFC, all it is doing is duplicating functionality and removing the ability to utilise fone holders and docking stations, not to mention undermining the sales patter when the sales team highlights NFC as a benefit over other cheaper models.

Can perhaps the tech team expand upon the rationale for this approach if it is a technical solution as opposed to a marketing one.

Currently this is stopping me signing up for the service, something i will benefit from greatly and would champion if VF could sort themselves out.

[hrym · Accepted solution]

The problem with the built-in NFC is that it doesn't have the necessary security required by the banks to operate contactless payments.   If your device is compatible and is running Vodafone software (which it will be if you got it from Vodafone) and your account has been migrated to Vodafone's new backend system, it should be compatible with the NFC SIMs that are being rolled out, but that's the nearest you'll get.  If your phone meets all the requirements, you'll be offered a suitable SIM in due course, but you'll need to wait for that - the system can't be short-circuited.

With luck, future generations of phones will have the correct security on their NFC and tags and special SIMs will be a thing of the past.   I suspect it'll be a bit oif a way off, though as contactless payment is really only just beginning to gain traction.