India’s PVR Cinemas has launched the country’s first NFC-based mobile payments system, according to Information Week. The event was designed to coincide with the availability of the new BlackBerry 10 platform. The NFC system will initially only work with BB10-based smartphones.

The cinema chain’s first idea was for a NFC-based feature for watching trailers but finally opted for adding NFC payments to its app so that customers can buy refreshments and tickets using their BB10 smartphones at itscinemas.

The strategy is for the app to become the centre of a loyalty programme for PVR’s customers.

However, the app is only available for a small number of BB10 users with Z10 handsets until May when the chain will make it available for iOS, Android and other platforms, including the older BlackBerry OS.

Also, users can only make payments with the PVR app from a pre-paid account rather than with their credit or debit cards.

And the NFC-based service only works in a relatively small number of PVR cinemas. It is not available at any non-PVR locations. The system went live at 15 of the chain’s most popular cinemas last month.