Intesa Sanpaolo launches mobile payment service for Android

Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo has launched a mobile payments service that will allow its customers to use an app, called PayGo, to make near-field communication payments (NFC) after having entered their chosen PIN number; in an announcement, the bank said that the mobile-based payments are performed in the same way debit and credit card payments are made. The bank does not charge a fee for performing the transaction. The service is currently only compatible with NFC-compatible Android devices, though it will be available on other platforms "in the next few months".

Customers of Italian banking group Intesa Sanpaolo can now make host card emulation (HCE) based NFC mobile payments using a new service called PayGo.

“To make payments, customers need to place their smartphone near a contactless POS terminal, having typed the unique PIN that they have chosen to make near-field payments into their telephone,” the bank says. “Payments are made with mobile phones just like they would be with any other contactless credit, debit or prepaid card.

“The service can be activated through the Sanpaolo La Tua Banca app — it is currently available for all NFC-enabled Android smartphones and in the next few months will be extended to other operating systems.”

“Intesa Sanpaolo does not apply any cost for the service,” the bank adds. “11 million Italians could potentially use the service. The number of contactless points of sale enabled to offer the service represents 30% of all POS terminals in Italy.”

“Making payments is one of the most common everyday activities and for this reason they must be quick, simple and secure,” says Massimo Tessitore, head of the integrated multichannel department at Intesa Sanpaolo. “We have chosen a solution that meets all these requirements.”

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