The GSMA, the international trade organization for the wireless industry, announced 45 mobile network operators (MNOs) from around the world have pledged support for SIM-based NFC solutions and services. Among the MNOs supporting the approach are China Mobile and China Unicom, Canada's Rogers Communications, Vodaphone Group and ISIS, the U.S. joint venture between AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, the announcement said.

"Clearly the momentum behind SIM-based NFC is growing rapidly, particularly with leading operators China Mobile and China Unicom supporting NFC services secured by the SIM card," said Franco Bernabè, Chairman of the GSMA, who is also CEO and Chairman of Telecom Italia Group, in the announcement.

According to the announcement, China Mobile and China Unicom alone have nearly 800 million connections.

"China Mobile is able to offer SIM-based NFC on an extremely large scale and we have the experience, the technical infrastructure and trusted customer care network to support and effectively stimulate the market," said Sha Yuejia, Executive Director and Vice President of China Mobile, in the GSMA announcement.

Along with the announcement, the GSM said it has published a new set of specs for handsets and SIM cards that it says will encourage the adoption of NFC services. Additionally, the GSM said the specs will enable the development and global deployment of secure, interoperable and ubiquitous SIM-based mobile NFC services.

"NFC is an important innovation for consumers around the world, and while it is perhaps best known for enabling secure mobile payments, it will also enable a wide range of innovative and exciting new services and applications, such as mobile ticketing, entertainment services, secure access to hotels or cars, loyalty schemes and couponing, among others," Bernabè said.

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(Photo Source: GSMA & Decisive Media. Photographer: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert.)