No NFC Chip? No Problem Thanks to Moneto

So you're one of those folk that didn't get a phone with the fancy NFC chip preinstalled on your phone and you're envious of the folks that do. Well now you won't have to worry about such things as the folks over at Device Fidelity and Spring Card have come up with moneto. Moneto is a micro SD card that will have an NFC chip installed bringing a mobile payment system (touch-to-pay) to phones that don't have it.

Set up is simple from what we read. First install the microSD card. Second add the antenna to the battery compartment for better NFC signal, and finally install the moneto app. Afterwards you should get ready to rock some mobile payments. The card comes with $10 preinstalled.

The company DeviceFidelity will continue to add support for additional phones as the year progresses. Look for these to hit the market by the second quarter of this year for roughly $30. If you have an iPhone, I'm sorry ;-), but you can get this feature via an $80 case. So those of you wanting your chance to play with some NFC chip action look forward to that here in the next 4-6 months. Hit the break below to check out the press release for full details. 

Press Release:

DeviceFidelity and SpringCard Launch moneto, the World’s First Multi-Platform Mobile Wallet for iPhone and Android at CES

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 10, 2012

moneto, developed by DeviceFidelity, Inc. and Spring Card Systems LLC, announced today the launch of the world’s first commercially available mobile payment solution that provides iPhone and Android users a convenient way to pay while on the go. The moneto iPhone wallet is powered by MasterCard PayPass technology and linked to a general purpose reloadable MasterCard prepaid card to enable iPhone users to make purchases with their phone at the hundreds of thousands of merchants that accept MasterCard PayPass.

“For over a decade, MasterCard has led the transformation of mobile phones into secure mobile payment devices,” said James Anderson, senior vice president, Mobile and Emerging payments at MasterCard. “We are excited to partner with moneto so that iPhone users can enjoy the convenience of paying for purchases with a simple ‘tap’ at thousands of PayPass locations around the globe.”

For the first time, NFC functionality is available directly to consumers at retail without the need to change devices, upgrade plans or sign new contracts. The moneto mobile payments technology uses a NFC-enabled microSD chip embedded in a patented, protective iPhone case. iPhone users simply need to sign up at moneto.me to receive the case, install the moneto app from the app store, and activate their account. Users can launch the moneto app to view their account balance, check transaction history and make everyday in-store purchases with a tap of their iPhone at any PayPass-enabled contactless payments reader at the point of sale. Users can fund their moneto prepaid account through direct deposit, ACH transfer or cash/credit/debit card-enabled third-party money transfer services such as MoneyGram, Western Union, PayPal or GreenDot.

“As this breakthrough mobile wallet launches in the US, it not only makes mobile payments available to iPhone users for the first time but it also opens the door for consumers to adopt NFC while pushing mobile commerce forward,” said Deepak Jain, DeviceFidelity President and CEO. “We are excited to partner with MasterCard and SpringCard to break the barriers for a rapid effective rollout that will spur both consumers and merchants to adopt this new wave of electronic commerce.”

moneto also comes with a companion prepaid MasterCard to give users the ability to access cash at ATMs and make online purchases, pay bills or shop at merchants that do not accept contactless payments. moneto also enables card-to-card and wire-fund transfers from a secure internet portal accessible via moneto.me.

“Consumers have been hearing about NFC and mobile wallets for years, now with moneto they can finally start using it and with the most popular smartphone device on the planet. The moneto mobile wallet app is focused on delivering a faster and easier shopping experience that is consumer friendly,” said Kevin Haddad, president of SpringCard. “Our vision is simple: People who use our applications should not have to worry ‘Will this work with my phone?’ as consumers can easily make secure purchases regardless of their phone, carrier, or bank.”

SAFETY AND SECURITY

The In2Pay technology behind moneto brings peace of mind to consumers. moneto users can prevent unauthorized access to their account using a PIN that is safely stored in a secure chip inside the microSD. The sleek and durable case design protects the iPhone and the NFC enabled microSD securely stores and encrypts the card information. Additionally, the moneto account is backed by MasterCard’s Zero Liability, which protects consumers against unauthorized purchases.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

moneto for iPhone will be available for online ordering in the U.S. immediately at moneto.me for $79.95 which includes $10.00 of pre-loaded funds. The moneto mobile wallet is available in limited release on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 3. A number of Android models will also be supported by 2Q12. Additional phone support will be added throughout the year.

The moneto prepaid MasterCard card is issued by University National Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to a license from MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated.