In cooperation with MasterCard and Alfa Bank, VimpelCom has launched an NFC-based payments service in Russia under its Beeline brand.

The NFC system uses MasterCard’s PayPass reader technology at check-outs and an application from Alfa Bank.

Transactions are processed over the Alfa Bank processing centre based on SmartVista software.

The service, however, is currently only available to a pilot group of Alfa Bank customers.

The launch of the limited service comes on the heels of a strategic partnership, announced in March, between the VimpelCom group and MasterCard.

The Russia-based operator has around 212 million subscribers in 18 countries.