Deutsche Telekom has chosen two vendors – B+S Card Service and Intercard – to support its deployment of NFC-based mobile payment systems.

The vendors will supply the infrastructure for processing payments at point-of-sale terminals and vending machines, initially in the German market.

Peter Vesco (pictured), the operator’s payments SVP, said the two companies’ extensive expertise in mobile and contactless payments was an important factor in their selection.

The German operator has previously struck other vendor agreements for its home market including with Wirecard, which is supporting Deutsche Telekom’s issue of a MasterCard backed card and mobile wallet, as well as processing payments on its behalf.

The operator is using a combination of its own MasterCard-based prepaid card, as well as smartphones and stickers (both based on NFC), to deliver mobile payment services.

It plans to launch payment services throughout its European footprint, not just in Germany. Last autumn it selected Gemalto to supply its NFC-based Trusted Service Manager (TSM) for its European footprint.