NFC for which fizzy drink? Coke is it.
Payments specialist PingPing is currently building NFC into vending machines in Belgium and Luxembourg for launch before the end of 2010.
To buy a Coke, consumers will hold their tag (a sticker on their mobile phone) or PingPing card in front of the reader.
Ultimately this functionality could be built into the SIM card.
"After the success of contactless payment in the mobility field, this partnership with the major player in the beverage sector again demonstrates the soundness of our innovative strategy which aims to transform the mobile phone into an electronic wallet.
"We are convinced that PingPing can offer a simple, efficient solution for small, daily purchases." Stijn Vander Plaetse, VP Innovation at Belgacom.
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The move is another indication of momentum around NFC after many years of false starts.
Last week, US operators announced the Isis project to promote NFC among their subscribers.
