The partners are giving 50 trial participants handsets linked to TIM Itaucards which can be used to make low value payments at MasterCard PayPass terminals in more than 100 restaurants, coffee shops and stores in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

The handsets will hold NFC SIMs from Gemalto, which is also providing its trusted services management (TSM) platform for the project. The vendor says that, as the pilot expands, its TSM offering will allow secure, over-the-air installation of a wide range of NFC services on mobile devices such as public transportation.

Roger Solé, CMO, TIM Brazil, says: "TIM has innovation as a strategic pillar and, once again, comes out ahead with the test of a technology that promises to be an important evolution of mobile. This partnership with Itau and our quest to evaluate the NFC model demonstrates our concern to offer solutions that bring more convenience to customers."