Brazilian wireless carrier TIM has announced that it is beginning a mobile payment pilot using NFC. The company is partnering with Brazilian bank Banco Itaú, card brand MasterCard, POS-maker Redecard and digital security provider Gemalto. The pilot will involve a small group of beta-testers and 100 restaurants in Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo.

According to TIM, the main objective of the test is to gain knowledge about NFC, train internal employees, and look at the challenges of a larger rollout. Depending upon results from the pilot program, TIM said it may begin offering NFC mobile payments to its nearly 70 million subscribers as early as the second half of 2013.

"TIM has innovation as a strategic pillar and, once again, comes out ahead with the test of a technology that promises to be an important evolution of mobile. This partnership with Itau and our quest to evaluate the NFC model demonstrates our concern to offer solutions that bring more convenience to customers, "said Roger Solé, CMO of TIM Brazil.

Banco Itaú will issue the MasterCard branded credit card to be used by participants. Gemalto will supply over-the-air provisioning of accounts, as well as its trusted services management solution. Payments at the point of sale will be made using MasterCard PayPass technology. 

Read more about contactless/NFC payments.