The Payments Council, which sets strategies for UK payment
services, is looking for suppliers to help it build a technology
infrastructure for mobile payments.
The organisation has issued a
formal request for information (RFI) for interested
suppliers.
In its National Payment Plan, the Council said mobile payments
were considered an important area for future innovation, and it
could help support open access and interoperability.
The Council will use the RFI to better understand what is
required to develop mobile payments in the UK.
Global mobile payment transaction values for digital and
physical goods will exceed £150bn a year within five years,
according to analyst Juniper Research.
Juniper said payments made via mobile phone for digital and
physical goods would exceed this figure annually by 2013.
According to analyst Gartner, the number of worldwide mobile
payment users will total 33 million this year, rising to 104
million by 2011.
The Payments Council was created in March 2007 with three main
objectives:
• To lead the future development of co-operative payment
services in the UK to ensure the payment system meets the needs of
payment service providers, users and the wider economy.
• To ensure the payment system is open, accountable and
transparent.
• To ensure the operational efficiency, effectiveness and
integrity of payment services in the UK.