AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless finally confirmed their long-anticipated mobile commerce joint venture, called Isis, which is intended to “utilise smartphone and near-field communication technology to modernise the payment process.” The intention is to launch services in “key geographic markets” during the next 18 months, although it has not revealed its plans on this front. The venture, which is also being supported by Discover Financial Services and Barclaycard US, is based in New York City, and is being headed by Michael Abbott, a former executive with GE Capital.

A statement from the operators noted the potential reach of the venture, with a combined mobile subscriber base of more than 200 million customers, while the Discover payment network is supported by more than seven million merchant locations nationwide. Abbott notes: “we believe the venture will have the scope and scale necessary to introduce mobile commerce on a broad basis.”