Western Union Goes Mobile

As predicted when I first came across the biz idea of using mobiles for money transfer that the big transfer instuitions will soon leverage the mobile technology. WU expects the first commercial launch of the service in 2008. WU provides agreed to develop a commercial and technical framework for mobile operators to deploy services. With the services, users will be able to send and receive low-denomination, high frequency money transfers using their mobile phones.

Federal Payment Conference presentation.

Presentations from Chicago Fed's 2007 Payments Conference

Phone makers & telecom join hands on mobile payment

Nokia announced on Wed. that they will join the GSMA mobile payment initiative. Along with LG and Samsung, the company will start manufacture phone with NFC embedded. How many of their total sales will be enabled with NFC? Is it an attempt to tell other carriers and financial institutions that the eggs are ready.

WaMu will try 'contactless payment' cards

No specific market details are available. The test will involve both credit and debit cards through Visa.

Celltrust powers mobile wallet

A new personal data management tool from CellTrust will let customers use their wireless devices to prevent fraud and identity theft, manage accounts and purchase goods securely.

With CellTrust Wallet, consumers who have established online personal accounts with business and retail companies can use their cell phones to access, manage and receive information from these accounts. They also can receive information regarding airline tickets, hotel and rental car reservations. The consumer’s itinerary, including confirmation numbers, is automatically sent to the cell phone. The application proactively monitors for cancellations, delays and gate changes, and notifications are sent as these changes occur.

Companies such as Bank of America, CitiBank, Chase and Discover Card; US Airways, Delta Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines; Marriott and Starwood; and Avis and Hertz are among the initial supporters.

The beta program is a free download that is available beginning today.

Angel Oregon Selects M-Six

This year's winner of the OEN Angel Oregon goes to M-Six a company that makes virtual visualizations software. This year is the largest investment makes to the winner and also the largest investment ever awarded to a winner in any business plan competition.

Other runner ups are :

• Remote Technologies, which is developing and selling software for managing quick-service restaurants;
• CSI Digital, which packages video, voice and data services for rural telecom companies, small cable companies and multi-dwelling property owners; and
• Lumencor, which is developing a new light source for biotechnology analytical tools.

Bank of America deploys m-banking

BOA will start provide customer with access to pay bills, check account balances and transfer money. It uses SiteKey end-to-end security that uses encryption to protect customer information, and it will also provide a PublishZero Liability Online Banking Guarantee.