Starting in the spring, over 3000 residents in Nice will be able to pay for public transport tickets and obtain information on routes and timetables using NFC handsets.

Additional NFC-based services will also appear at local museums, cultural events and on campus at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis.

Oberthur will manage the mobile payment service on behalf of BNP Paribas via an OTA (over the air) platform. The vendor says its "NFC Now" offering provides an integrated system for secured remote personalisation, PIN management and EMV parameter updates.

BNP Paribas is part of a not-for-profit association set up by seven banks and four telcos to promote the deployment of an interoperable mobile payment service in France. Oberthur is one of several vendors also involved in the association.

The Association Européenne Payez Mobile (AEPM - European Association for Mobile Payment) was established last year following a 12-month pilot in Caen and Strasbourg which received positive user feedback.

Commenting on the Nice project, Willy Dubost, SVP, cards and merchant services, BNP Paribas, says: "Following the "Payez Mobile" initiative, it is important for BNP Paribas to be recognised as a leading innovator in the NFC payment market and the bank is looking forward to showcasing its service in Nice in early 2010."