Tag: canada

Square to bring Mobile Card Reader to Canada

| October 27, 2012

 

Mobile Card Reader to expand beyond US

Square, a maker of mobile commerce products, has announced that its Mobile Card Reader will soon be available in Canada. The move aims to engage the growing number of consumers in the country that are showing interest in mobile commerce. The Mobile Card Reader will allow both businesses and consumers to make transactions directly from a smart phone or tablet. This is a physical product, which is available for free, that can be used on both the Android and iOS platforms.

Mobile commerce growing quickly in Canada

Mobile commerce is growing in popularity largely due to the concept that it is more convenient than traditional forms of commerce. Using a smart phone, consumers can pay for goods and services with a simple gesture. For some, this is considered an innovative way to pay for things. For others, it is just another way to make purchases. Whatever the reaction from consumers is, their interest in mobile commerce is growing, as is the demand for platforms that will allow them to make purchases using their mobiles devices.

Device accounts for $8 billion in transactions each yearSquare Mobile Card Reader

Though the Mobile Card Reader is free, Square is still able to make a profit off the platform. The company charges a 2.75% fee each time a transaction is made using the platform. According to Square, the platform facilitates more than $8 billion transactions every year. Considering that Square has only operated in the U.S., until very recently, the platform has proven itself to be quite successful. Bringing the Mobile Card Reader into the Canadian market will be Square’s first time expanding beyond the U.S.

Device allows smart phones to become mobile payment platform without native NFC technology

The progress and adoption of mobile commerce is being heavily delayed by the availability of NFC-enabled mobile devices. The low supply of these devices means that consumer engagement in mobile commerce is limited. The Mobile Card Reader solves this problem by being equipped with its own NFC chip, allowing any smart phone or tablet to become a viable mobile payment platform.

EnStream teams with RIM to make mobile commerce more secure

| October 25, 2012

 EnStream works to make mobile commerce in Canada secure

EnStream, a mobile solutions provider based in Canada, has reached a deal with Research In Motion (RIM), creators of the BlackBerry platform, concerning a new system that could make mobile commerce in Canada more secure. In 2009, EnStream, which is comprised of Canada’s three largest telecommunications companies, introduced the Zoompass mobile payment platform. The platform enables consumers to use their smart phones to pay for goods and services. As mobile commerce becomes more popular, security concerns are threatening to derail mobile payments in Canada, thus RIM has been tapped for its acclaimed security technologies.

RIM technology will help EnStream create new services

Through this new deal, EnStream will be able to make use of RIM’s Secure Element Manager, a system that will allow the company to manage the credentials of NFC-enabled smart phones in Canada. This move comes after EnStream finalized the sale of Zoompass to Paymobile, thus opening up the companies resources for the development of a new mobile commerce platform that may be better suited for the latest generation of NFC-enabled mobile technology. BackedMobile Commerce by RIM’s technology, the company may be able to help bring more security to mobile commerce in Canada.

Security continues to be serious concern for consumers

Security is one of the most significant problems facing mobile commerce today. Consumers have shown interest in the concept of their mobile devices doubling as payment platforms, but have also expressed extreme concern regarding the safety of their financial information. Security faults with NFC technology and the fact that many mobile commerce platforms can be easily exploited by hackers has caused some turmoil in the burgeoning industry. EnStream believes that bringing more security to the industry may also provide it will more stability.

EnStream to bring mobile payment services to MTS customers

EnStream has also signed an agreement with Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) to bring its mobile payment technology to MTS customers by 2013. Once these services have successfully been incorporated into the MTS network, customers will be able to make purchases for goods and services using EnStream’s technology, as long as they have NFC-enabled mobile devices.