Recently, you can increasingly hear the mention of a certain NFC technology in the context of electronic payments through a smartphone. Many use it without knowing either the name or the principle of operation. There are a lot of rumors around NFC that affect the security of personal data, money, and sometimes health. It is to explain these questions that this article was written.

NFC in the phone - what it is, how it works and where it is used

Deciphering the abbreviation NFC is literally translated into Russian as "near contactless communication." From the name, one can immediately conclude that one of the main features of NFC is that data is transmitted at a very close distance, up to 10 cm. Of course, nothing prevents the exchange of information at a distance of several centimeters via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but here it is worth understanding the details .

The principle of operation of NFC is based on the phenomenon of magnetic field induction, through which a short-range high-frequency data transmission between two devices at a frequency of 13.56 MHz is realized.

One reason for the existence of this technology is the need for security. It is logical that it is purely physically difficult to "break" a contact occurring in a small area, unlike the rest wireless connections. But what is the use of such technology if it cannot be used to communicate with a device even ten meters away? It's simple: NFC has a completely different focus. From the obvious - contactless payment by bringing the smartphone to the terminal. But this is far from the only area in which NFS can be used.

Examples of using the NFC chip:

1. Transfer media files, contacts or settings between smartphones.
2. Cashless payment. Perhaps the most popular use of the system, which is widely used in Russia. There are also various options: paying for travel, providing personal data by touch, etc.
3. Reading information. NFC tags in smart cards and other objects allow you to instantly enter information into your smartphone, for example, from a business card. NFC chips are small enough to be embedded in almost any item.
4. Some Sony TVs have a function one touch Mirroring, which allows you to display video from the phone's memory on the TV screen.
5. Access control to various services or objects, where a device with an NFC chip is used instead of a key.

The first phone equipped with NFC appeared back in 2006 (Nokia 6131), but such devices have become widespread only in recent years, and now NFC can be found not only in flagships, but also in mid-range models. price segment, and even budget smartphones.

Benefits of NFC

• Instant connection. NFC allows devices to connect without additional manipulations, entering settings and other things, it is enough to bring two gadgets with NFC chips to each other.
• Safety. As already mentioned, a short range greatly complicates the process of hacking, but this does not mean that NFC does not have other means of protection. In addition, having lost a bank card, the risk of losing money on it is much higher than in the case of losing a phone, where funds are protected not only by a password, but also by the need to confirm access to the gadget itself.
• Ease of use. You can add several bank cards to the smartphone’s memory at once and pay with them from one device, in addition, NFC works not only with bank cards, but also with transport and discount cards.

Which devices support NFC

Majority modern smartphones has support for this technology, but old or very budget solutions may be deprived of it. Some manufacturers put the name of the technology on the surface of the device case, but there are more effective way check if it is in your smartphone:

1. Open the device settings menu.
2. Go to " Wireless networks” or “Connected Devices”.
3. Open More.
4. Find the NFC item.

And of course, you can always just google the name of your smartphone by adding NFC next to it, and everything will become clear.

How to pay by phone

Here we will consider the most popular way to use NFC - card emulation. Using emulation, you can create a virtual duplicate of the card and pay from your phone, as if from MasterCard PayPass or Visa Paywave cards, which are simply applied to the terminal to debit funds.

Smartphones with NFC-chip running OC Android make contactless payment using the app Android Pay, which can be downloaded at Play market at the following link. Samsung phones work with proprietary Samsung app Pay, which is usually pre-installed in the operating system out of the box. The principle of operation of both applications is completely identical.

A user who has never used a device unlock with a password, gesture or fingerprint will be forced to set up secure access to the device when launching Android Pay for the first time. This is a prerequisite for using contactless payment.

How to use Android Pay:

If you have connected more than one card, then you must first select the one that will be used for payment, if it is not set by default. Transactions are confirmed at the moment of unlocking the smartphone using a code, graphic key or a fingerprint scanner. Payments in the amount of more than a thousand rubles, at the request of the seller, may need to be confirmed by entering a PIN code from bank card in the terminal or signature.

For quick access to NFC, pin the activation icon for this function in the notification shade so as not to look for it in the wilds of settings every time you need to pay.

How to pay with a smartphone in the subway or bus? This is done in a similar way: we launch Android Pay, confirm authorization and pay for the trip by touching the smartphone to the turnstile. In the same way, you can pay for admission to museums, exhibitions and similar places, without having to queue for a ticket.

Sharing data and files via NFC

To transfer files from smartphone to smartphone via NFC, an auxiliary android technology Beam (or Samsung Beam on devices from the manufacturer of the same name). Let's figure out how to send files via NFC:

Similarly, you can transfer other information, such as a list of contacts, which makes life much easier when switching from an old smartphone to a new one.

Conclusion

Since most smartphones have long been equipped with an NFC module, today the basis for changing the system of electronic payments is being formed. And despite the rather high popularity of NFC as a payment method, the demand for this technology (relative to its potential) is very small. In the future, NFC may become an integral part of our lives, as smartphones themselves once did, since it is really convenient to pay with your phone.

The service is available to owners of gadgets based on operating system Android. And smartphone owners based on iOS can replenish the "Troika" with the help of Apple Pay, but you will have to activate the payment through the validator at metro stations.

Through the Moscow Metro app, passengers can now top up the card in full online. They do not have to additionally apply the card to the yellow validators in the subway. The feature has become available to smartphone users on Android based with NFC support. The list of gadget models with this feature is published on the application page in Google Play.

“After the passengers have credited the money to the Troika account, it will be enough for them to attach the card to their mobile phone, and the account replenishment will go through an NFC connection. Thanks to this, you can top up your account, for example, on your way to work, which will save time on the way, ”said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow, Head of .

He noted that now the Moscow Metro application can be used to activate a deferred payment without applying the Troika to the yellow validators at the subway stations. Even if the passenger tops up the card in any other way, including Yandex.Money, Qiwi and Webmoney, he will be able to use the Moscow Metro application and activate the payment using an NFC connection.

The owners of gadgets on the iOS operating system in updated version the Moscow Metro application, it became possible to top up Troika using payment system Apple Pay. But in order to activate the payment, the card must be attached to the yellow validator at the subway stations.

The updated version of the application can already be downloaded from App Store and Google Play.

“We are constantly expanding our fare payment options and adding the most innovative ways. For example, together with Apple, we launched new way replenishment of Troika via our Moscow Metro app using Apple Pay,” said Maxim Liksutov.

When choosing Apple Pay from the program menu, the user will need to confirm the payment method using Touch ID or a password. Unlike paying with a bank card, the passenger does not have to enter Additional information: its number, owner details and security code. This will allow residents and visitors of the city who replenish their Troika account online to save time.

Apple Pay is secure because the card number itself is not stored on the device or on Apple servers. Instead of this account smartphone or watch is assigned unique number, which is encrypted and stored in the device's Secure Element chip. Each transaction is authorized through a unique one-time secret code.

Fan guide

The new release of the Moscow Metro app also includes a section for fans of the Confederations Cup.

“For the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, we have added a special section for fans in Russian, English, Spanish and German. It contains all useful information for guests coming to the games of the Cup. This is the schedule of matches, a description of the participating teams, the rules for free travel in Moscow transport and other information,” Maxim Liksutov said.

The metro will become one of the main modes of transport for fans who will come to the matches of the Confederations Cup. The tournament will be held from June 17 to July 2 in four cities of Russia. For the convenience of tourists, the names of stations on all metro lines are duplicated on English language. Cash desks with English-speaking employees at stations popular among foreign guests were marked with special stickers. In addition, in the metro terminals for the purchase of tickets loaded software with duplication of basic functions.

The Moscow Metro mobile application appeared in the App Store and Google Play this year. It has already been downloaded by more than 375 thousand users.

Through this application, passengers can build combined routes throughout the city using all types of transport - buses, trolleybuses, trams, metro and MCC, electric trains and Aeroexpress trains. In addition, the service has a guide to the main sights of Moscow, to each of which you can build a route. The application will also tell you about park and ride parking near the subway - about tariffs and free places on them.

1. How to start using the service « mobile ticket»?

For existing subscribers:

• in the MTS store, replace a regular SIM card with a special NFC SIM card (the subscriber number is saved);
• Tariffication of communication services is in accordance with the current tariff plan of the subscriber. To use an NFC SIM card, you need an NFC-enabled phone.

Connection of the Mobile Ticket service is free of charge, there is no monthly fee. The first mandatory payment credited to the balance of the Mobile Ticket is 150 rubles. Funds are debited automatically from the balance of the personal account when the subscriber confirms the rules for the provision of the service by sending a confirmation SMS message in response to incoming message from number 3210.

With the help of an NFC SIM card with the "Mobile Ticket" service, you can pay for travel in public transport in Moscow "in one touch" using mobile phone!

2. What is the advantage of an NFC SIM card with the Mobile Ticket service?

SIMPLE - to pay for the fare, it is enough to bring your mobile phone with an NFC SIM card installed that supports the Mobile Ticket service to the reader at the terminal or at the subway turnstile.

FAST - thanks to NFC technology, payment is very fast. Also, you do not need to wait for change, stand in line for a ticket during peak hours.

CONVENIENT - replenishment of the "Mobile ticket" occurs automatically from the phone account in the amount necessary to achieve the balance of the "Mobile ticket" in the amount of 150 rubles.

FAVORABLE - Mobile Ticket fares are more profitable than most of the current fares for paper tickets (1,2,20,40 trips) and automatically switch to a profitable "90 minutes" ticket when transferring from one mode of transport to another.

MOBILE - you can forget your plastic card at home and it takes up space in your wallet. Mobile phone is always with you and there is always money on the Mobile ticket!

TECHNOLOGICAL - the ability to pay for public transport by touching your phone is a way to surprise others.

3. What phone models will the Mobile Ticket service work with?

To use the "Mobile ticket" package, your phone must support work with NFC technology. The following list of telephone sets is guaranteed to work with the "Mobile Ticket" set:
//static.mts.ru/uploadmsk/contents/1655/nfc_phones.pdf

4. I can't pay for travel using the Mobile Ticket service, what should I do? Before using the Mobile Ticket service, please make sure that:

• The "Mobile Ticket" service is enabled in the settings of the "Mobile Ticket" application in the STK-menu or in the "My MTS" Mobile Application;
• There are enough funds on the balance of the phone to pay for the fare;
• Your phone supports NFC technology;
• In the phone settings in the section " Wireless connections» NFC is on;

5. Where can I buy a SIM card with the Mobile Ticket service?

You can get a free NFC SIM card with the Mobile Ticket service in all MTS stores in Moscow.

When replacing a regular SIM card with an NFC SIM card with the Mobile Ticket service, you need to have a Russian passport with you.

6. How will be charged bonus points in the MTS-Bonus for paying for travel from my account from the Mobile Ticket package?

Fare payment using the Mobile Ticket service does not participate in the MTS-Bonus points accumulation program.

7. What is NFC?

Near Field Communication, (“near field communication”) is a short-range wireless high-frequency communication technology that allows the exchange of data between devices located at a distance of up to 4 centimeters.

8. Can I pay for travel using the Mobile Ticket service if my phone is turned off or out of charge?

9. I want to change my phone number, will the Mobile Ticket service remain valid on my SIM?

When changing telephone number The SIM card remains the same, the Mobile Ticket service remains operational.

10. What should I do if the NFC antenna is broken?

If your NFC antenna stops working, you need to contact the MTS showroom and purchase a new antenna.

11. Why do I receive an SMS notification about the need to top up my phone account in the amount of at least 160 rubles (“Please top up your phone account up to at least 160 rubles in order to continue using the “Mobile Ticket” to pay for travel”)?

Unfortunately, it is technically impossible to set up individual SMS notifications for each subscriber individually. SMS-informing about the lack of funds on the balance of the personal account of the phone is unified for all subscribers, regardless of the amount of the balance of funds on the balance of the "Mobile ticket".
For subscribers with a minimum balance of funds on the balance sheet, it is necessary to replenish the mobile phone account by at least 160 rubles. According to the terms of the Mobile Ticket service:

1. the first payment on account of payment for the services of carriers is set at 150 rubles. After making trips for an amount equal to or exceeding 60 rubles per automatic mode a payment is made from the personal subscriber account of a mobile phone in the amount necessary and sufficient to reach the balance of funds contributed to pay for the services of carriers, the amount of 150 rubles.
2. the minimum balance of funds on your mobile phone account must be at least 10 rubles.

The service is provided jointly with LLC NPO "MOBI Money"

12. What size are NFC SIM cards with Mobile Ticket service?

The NFC SIM card is made with the latest technology and includes all available sizes: standard, micro and nano SIM cards. You just need to extract the right size card for your phone device.

13. Can I connect the Mobile Ticket service to my current number?

Yes, for this it is enough to replace the SIM card with an NFC SIM card that supports the Mobile Ticket service. However, the phone number and tariff plan Will not change. Replacement is free of charge in MTS stores.

14. Can I top up the balance of the "Mobile ticket" for any amount at the metro/carrier's ticket office?

No. If the Mobile Ticket balance drops below 90 rubles, the Mobile Ticket balance will be replenished automatically from the balance of the personal account of the MTS mobile phone. The balance is replenished up to a fixed amount of 150 rubles.

The subscriber is given the opportunity to manually replenish the transport card from the personal account by SMS request to number 3210 with the text payment (space) “payment amount in rubles”. For example, "payment 100". The maximum amount on the transport card can be no more than 3000 rubles.

You can top up your Mobile Ticket balance via mobile app"My MTS" (on Android) in the "Mobile Ticket" section.

15. How can I find out the current balance of the "Mobile ticket", enable/disable auto-replenishment?

There are three options for managing the Mobile Ticket service and balance control for the client:

• SIM menu
• SMS requests
• Mobile application "My MTS" on android

To enter the SIM menu, depending on the OS of the phone, perform the following steps:

• Windows Phone: Settings -> Cellular+SIM -> SIM Settings -> SIM Applications -> "Mobile Ticket"
• Android: Menu -> icon "MTS Services" - "Mobile Ticket"

In the SIM menu, you can:

• View the balance of the transport card.
• Enable / Disable the service (available funds will be saved on the card balance).
• Specify the telephone number of the contact center in case of difficulties.

Available SMS commands on 3210 (free):

• "Help" - all available commands within the service will be provided in the response SMS.
• "Payment" (for example, "payment 100") - payment for the amount indicated in rubles from the balance of the personal account of the phone.
• "Off" - turn off auto-replenishment of the ticket from the personal account.
• "On" - enable automatic replenishment of the ticket from the personal account.
• "Balance" - obtaining up-to-date information about the balance of the transport card.

The mobile application allows the client to online mode at your convenience GUI do the following:

• Checking the balance of the transport card.
• Enabling / Disabling auto-replenishment from the personal account.
• Replenishment of the card balance from the personal account.
• Turning the service on and off.

16. For how many passengers can I pay for transportation using my Mobile Ticket?

Technically, fare payment is possible for one or more passengers alternately with a frequency of several seconds. Legally, in accordance with transport legislation Russian Federation, each passenger on the ground public transport must have your ticket.

The application has one feature. It lies in the fact that a full-fledged payment option is implemented only on those smartphones that, in addition to NFC, have a Secure Element chip with full access. And only some HTC, Sony and Phillips models have it, and the application is already preinstalled in them, or it will be installed along with an operating system update. For other smartphones, the payment function will only work with constant access to the Internet. But all the advantages of contactless payment technology still remain, except for transport fares.

I took part in testing this technology and the Wallet application. I have a smartphone Samsung Note 3 with built-in NFC, but this model is not yet compatible for full version applications. This means that I will need to install a "cloud" version of the program that works with Internet access. Soon it will appear on Google Play and Apple iTunes, but for now they send me "Wallet" in the form of a file for installation.

After installing the application, a shortcut appears on the smartphone Cardsmobile Cloud Payments. We start, and we see the following sequence of pictures:

In the last screenshot, the application shows a screen where you can see the list of cards registered to your wallet. In this case, there are no cards. Therefore, on this screen you can see background information about the application and how to work with it. To make it possible to pay for purchases with a smartphone, you need to issue a virtual card. To do this, click the "plus sign" in the upper right corner, fill out a small questionnaire (name, date of birth, code word, address Email and mobile number). Click next, after which the process of registering a bank card and entering it on the application server starts.

After approval of the application by the bank and issuance virtual card, its image appears in the main application window. Also, the card issue notification comes with two SMS messages. The first contains all the card data, including the CVC2 code, and the second contains the PIN code. It is better to delete both SMS messages, after remembering the pin code, which is only needed to pay for purchases in excess of 1,500 rubles.

Your wallet account now has a virtual card with a real bank account. And this account is empty. The balance of the card can always be seen if you select the card and click the "Balance" button. To be able to pay for purchases with this card, you need to replenish it. You can also do this directly from the app. To do this, select a virtual card, and click the "Top up" button. Replenishment is possible in several ways. If you already have a MasterCard PayPass or Visa Paywave card, then just enter the transfer amount, hold the card to your smartphone and confirm the transfer. If you have a regular bank card, then you can enter its details manually or scan them through the camera built into your smartphone. Correct recognition of attributes depends on the pattern on the map.

After the money is credited to the card, you can enjoy the benefits of contactless payment with your smartphone. To do this, you need to launch the application, select a card, click the "Activate" button, enter a 4-character payment password, wait for the terminal to be ready to withdraw money and attach your smartphone to the payment terminal. Everything should work out if the terminal supports payment with contactless cards and your smartphone has NFC enabled. If the amount of purchases is less than 1500 rubles, then you will not even need to enter a PIN code.

I have tried this payment method. And you know what? It's worth a try if only to watch the reaction of cashiers and people in line. Many do not know about contactless bank cards, and even more so about the possibility of paying with a smartphone via NFC. This process looks very curious from the outside. Every time I am bombarded with questions like "How does it work?", "How does the money get there?", "And if the smartphone is stolen?". By the way, about the theft of a smartphone. The virtual card is protected by a payment password, without which payment cannot be made. But even if we assume that the smartphone was stolen and they know the payment password, then you can contact the bank to block the card and cancel the operation, if any.

It may seem that this is not the most convenient way to pay. But it has its own advantages. Free card issuance, maintenance without an annual fee, the ability to store all cards in the smartphone's memory. AT this moment(March 2015) in the application, you can issue a card of only one bank - Russian Standard, and in the full version also Tinkoff. But the company is negotiating with other banks, and soon this list will be replenished.

FEBRUARY 2018 UPDATE! The review was written almost three years ago. Nowadays, the functionality and appearance of the application could change a little. Install and try.

Since September 4, MegaFon, Beeline and MTS subscribers have been able to pay for travel in the Moscow metro using a mobile phone.
The Mobile Ticket solution was developed jointly by the metro, the Department of Transport of the City of Moscow and three leading mobile operators countries.

The solution is built in the ideology and format of SIM-centric. Using the example of MegaFon subscribers, the following scheme is offered to users (absolutely the same for all operators).

The subscriber must have a mobile device with NFC functionality, in which it is necessary to install a special UICC SIM card, on which the Troika transport application is pre-recorded. A SIM-card is issued free of charge from MegaFon Retail stores. After installing the SIM card in the device, the subscriber receives an SMS with a request for consent to connect the Mobile Ticket service.

After the subscriber is confirmed, the Troika virtual card emulated on the SIM card is replenished from his mobile personal account in the amount of 150 rubles. No commission is charged for this. Thus, there are two accounts on the user's device - a personal subscriber account and an account of the Troika transport application, with the first serving as a source of replenishment for the second.

The fare is debited from the account of the transport application when it is presented to the reader on the turnstile. In this case, NFC must be activated. You can apply the phone with the screen turned off - the write-off will occur from the desired account automatically. As mobile operators promise, even a discharged (turned off) phone will have a charge to pay for one trip.

The fares are absolutely similar to the "Electronic wallet" and "90 minutes" tariffs (the user switches automatically to this tariff, as well as with a regular card) using the Troika card. In the future, all operators will be able to record on SIM-cards all the tariffs of the current Troika tariff menu.

An important feature of the service: by default, all subscribers are connected to the service of automatic replenishment of the account of the transport application up to the specified amount (150 rubles) when the balance drops to 90 rubles. (write-offs occur from the subscriber's personal account). You can also replenish the account of the "mobile" Troika "manually (using a payment to short number), and disable autofill (in the Mobile Ticket service menu on your smartphone).

The solution is implemented on the Breeze Transport technology platform developed by Breeze Technologies. Editorial information portal site contacted with the General Director of Breeze Technologies LLC Pavel Vyotosh. He emphasized in particular that this decision is a 100% domestic development and is fully implemented by the company's specialists.

Answering the question of correspondents of the site about how long it took to develop and implement the Mobile Ticket service in Moscow and what "pitfalls" the developer had to face, P. Vyotosh said: "As an integrator of the Breeze Technologies service, it was necessary to set up interaction with the Transport Transaction Processing Center (TSOTT) of the Moscow Metro, the electronic money operator LLC NPO "MOBI.Money", three telecom operators, to test the processing and generation of SMS-messages about the payment, as well as to ensure the operability of the service in 24/7 mode. everything took more than a year.Directly, the development of the transport application for SIM cards and the adaptation of the Breeze Transport platform to the requirements of the customer took several months.As for the "pitfalls", at the stage of testing the system, one of the most difficult tasks was to solve the problem of simultaneous replenishment and write-offs from the "Mobile ticket": the launch of the auto-replenishment service at the time of passing through the turnstile. It was necessary to technologically separate the two operations in order to eliminate errors and problems in the operation of the service in such cases."

Commenting on the launch of mobile fare payment in the Moscow metro portal site Hayk Karapetyan, Financial Services Director, MegaLabs, in particular, noted that the operator sees prospects behind the Mobile Ticket project. According to him, for Last year The number of mobile devices with NFC functionality has doubled in the MegaFon network, both in Moscow and across the country as a whole.

“In addition, in the first half of 2015, the number of transactions from the mobile account of MegaFon subscribers increased by 60% compared to the same period last year, and revenue from financial services increased by 30%,” said A. Karapetyan.

Alina Bisembayeva, Deputy Head of the Department of Transport of the City of Moscow, in turn, noted that today more than 40% of metro trips are made using the Troika card, of which 23% are made using the Electronic Wallet tariff.

Yuri DegTyarev, First Deputy Head of the Moscow Metro, at the same time, he emphasized: “The fundamental innovation in the Mobile Ticket service is that the replenishment of the mobile Troika comes from persons

subscriber's account".

Andrey Makarov, Director of Financial Marketing Department MTS services, noticed that MTS already provides subscribers with the opportunity to record a virtual bank card on a SIM card. According to him, the company in its retail when buying smartphones with NFC will immediately offer a new SIM card with Troika.

Hayk Karapetyan, director of financial services at MegaLabs, believes that the most important thing for operators and the carrier today is "to form the subscriber's habit of paying with mobile device"He t

He also believes that the new service will spur sales of smartphones with NFC functionality, because in fact, without the ability to use NFC in transport, few people need this functionality. He noted that MegaFon currently has about 1 million subscribers with devices that support NFC functionality. In a year or two, in his opinion, this number will grow significantly.

Alexander Sakharov, director for the development of financial products and services, Beeline, expressed confidence that the generation of 20-25 year olds will become active users new service, and "Mobile ticket" will expand its functionality

onal and scope.

Let us recall that various NFC payment projects have been tested by the Moscow metro since 2009. A significant part of the organizational difficulties consisted in coordinating the efforts, desires and standards of the three mobile operators and the carrier. In 2015, such an agreement was finally reached.

The NFC payment service is now available in Moscow at all metro stations, at all land transport, commuter trains and even in the Moscow zoo.