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NFC parking hits Oakland

Parkmobile USA Inc. is bringing NFC–enabled mobile parking payment to another city. The company announced that commuters in Oakland, Calif., will now be able to feed the meter with a tap of their phone. Oakland joins seven other West Coast cities that have implemented Parkmobile's mobile payment solutions.

"Parkmobile is very excited to launch our mobile payment parking service in Oakland," said Albert Bogaard, Parkmobile USA CEO. "With this technology, customers no longer have to search for change at their destination."

Along with NFC as a payment method, Parkmobile's services include a native mobile app for iPhone, Android, Windows 7, and Blackberry smartphones that lets users pay for parking on their mobile device. They can also access the Parkmobile mobile website by scanning a QR code on the meter or they can go "old school"and use the phone function of the smartphone to dial a toll free number to pay for their parking spot.

The service also includes alerts that tell users when their time is almost up and that can even buy more time.

The program is offered throughout Oakland at all on-street parking meters.

According to Noel Pinto, director of parking operations with the City of Oakland, the ability to use a cell phone to pay for parking means no more digging for coins, no more frustration and no more stress.

"Parking in Oakland is no longer an adventure but rather as easy as parking at a meter, making a phone call and walking away," Pinto said.

For more stories on this topic, visit the NFC/Contactless research center.