How NFC Readers Are Used in Mobile Devices
NFC Readers can be found in many devices, including smartphones. NFC technology allows smartphones to communicate with nearby objects that have an embedded NFC chip in a range of different ways.
For example, you can use your smartphone to pay for items at a store by touching it to the NFC-enabled card reader at checkout. NFC readers are also used for access control purposes, allowing you to track who enters your business or buildings.
Contactless Payments
NFC payments offer customers a speedy, convenient NFC Readers option to make purchases at your business. By providing a seamless way to pay, you can encourage repeat sales and build customer loyalty.
When a customer taps their phone to an NFC reader, the device transmits encrypted information back and forth. This is what triggers a transaction to complete, which takes less than a second. NFC payments are typically leagues faster than magstripe or chip card transactions, and even quicker than cash.
To use NFC, consumers need to have a mobile wallet app downloaded to their smartphone or Apple Watch, and have their credit cards linked to the application. The wallet apps store the credit card information on a secure server, which sends it to the NFC reader when activated. The reader then performs the action requested, whether that’s making a payment or unlocking a subway turnstile.
NFC technology offers value for both issuing banks (by boosting mobile transactions) and retailers (thanks to faster checkouts and greater security). The ability to authenticate with modern readers also opens the door for exciting new applications like wearable contactless tokens, ring products and more.
Transit Fares
NFC readers can be configured to accept a variety of transit fare media including paper tickets, machine-readable cards and mobile tickets/passes. NFC readers allow passengers to board vehicles without paying cash (or waiting in line at ticket vending machines).
On-board payment can dramatically speed up vehicle boarding times, reducing passenger dwell time and total run time. Streamlined fare collection allows transit agencies to focus on service, rather than limiting staff resources to fare enforcement or gate operation.
To pay for a trip on a bus or train, simply tap your contactless card or device at the center of the reader target. The system will automatically deduct the appropriate PAYG fare for that service. When you use a PAYG fare, the first ride is free and transfers are available (see agency fares for complete details).
If your card or phone has been added to your UTA Pay account in the app, trip data will be sent automatically to the bank to record the charges. This trip data helps UTA understand how people are using its services in order to improve service, plan for the future and communicate more effectively with customers.
The OMNY prepaid contactless smartcard is a great way to travel on all of UTA’s buses and FrontRunner trains. Look for the universal contactless symbol on your card and the contactless icon contact smart card at a station to see if it is contactless enabled.
Access Control
NFC readers can be equipped with the right app to make it possible to gain physical access to a building or specific areas within a building. The reader energises the tag with an electromagnetic field and uses a Manchester code to determine the sequence of zeros and ones that represent data. This data gets transmitted to a back-end system, which verifies the information and grants or denies access.
As the use of smartphones grows, many organisations are choosing to eliminate the need for traditional access control cards. This is a more cost-effective solution and reduces administration time spent replacing lost cards or providing temporary credentials to people who forgot their cards. Plus, people tend to take more care of their phones, so they are less likely to lose them than a card.
With NFC readers, it is also easier to use mobile credentials because users already have their mobile phones with them all the time. In addition, it is easier to verify the identity of someone using their phone as it usually has a camera and a fingerprint scanner.
For security reasons, many NFC readers restrict the range of the signal to prevent eavesdropping. This means that malicious machines would have to be within a couple of inches of the tag for them to read the data.
Wallet Apps
The most popular NFC apps are used to make contactless payments at restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, cafes & bars, and transportation businesses (trains, buses, taxis). Wallet apps work with NFC readers to allow users to tap and pay for products and services. These NFC payment apps use tokenization to change sensitive information into a unique digital code that’s used to process the transaction. This means hackers would have a hard time gaining access to any personal information stored in the wallet app.
One of the best secure NFC payment apps is LifeLock Wallet, which helps users keep their credit, debit, insurance cards, ID, and loyalty card info safe. The app works with some major banks and includes features like password protection and an identity theft specialist. It also lets users replace their real numbers with digital ones to make them more difficult for hackers to steal.
Another great secure NFC payment app is Google Pay, which works with Android phones and smartwatches to let users tap and pay at terminals that support it. It can be used with all major debit and credit cards, as well as some popular bank accounts. Google has constantly been updating the app with newer ideas, such as letting users easily transact in different currencies and simplifying how they send money to their friends and family.