Mobile operator Telecom New Zealand is working with Auckland Transport, a public transport provider, and leading bank Westpac in a trial of a NFC-based mobile wallet service that will start in May. The three partners will work with technology firms Gemalto, Thales and Paymark. The trial will involve about 30 staff from the six organisations who will make tap and go payments to access Auckland’s public transport system as well as make purchases in a small group of retailers. Thales will supply the trial’s NFC-based app for the public transport system, the first time that the app has been deployed.

The trial, which uses Telecom New Zealand’s 3G network, is expected to enable participants to pay for buses, trains and ferries in Auckland using their mobile handsets. In a first for New Zealand, the participants will also use a Westpac credit card to top up their Telecom New Zealand pre-paid account using the infrastructure of Paymark, a payments provider owned by local banks. That way users avoid having to go online or pay for credit in a store. Gemalto will provide the infrastructure needed for the trial including the trusted service manager, or TSM.

Earlier in April Telecom New Zealand announced a joint venture with rival mobile operators Vodafone and 2Degrees to launch a TSM.  The three operators are working with Paymark which is also part of the current trial. The technology and solutions used in the May trial will ultimately be made available to all mobile subscribers regardless of their mobile operators via the joint TSM, said Telecom New Zealand. A commercial launch of the latter service is expected in 2013.