Visa Inc is planning to make mobile
payment-related services broadly available to United States consumers
by the end of the year and support applications for the Android platform, which will be available for download on Android-powered handsets and initially available to Chase Visa cardholders.
The first set of services that Visa is planning to develop for
Android will allow Chase Visa cardholders to receive notifications to
their mobile devices about transaction activity on their accounts;
obtain offers'; and use the built-in
location-based technology developed by Google to map nearby
merchants where they can redeem Visa offers and locate ATMs that accept
Visa.
During an introductory period, Visa mobile services that will be
developed for the Android platform will first be offered to Chase Visa
account holders. Following this initial launch phase, Visa plans to
work with additional card-issuing financial institutions to extend
availability of its mobile services for Android to their Visa account
holders.
Visa is also developing a payment application that will enable
consumers with Visa accounts to make mobile payments in retail
locations nationwide, or while on the go, over wireless networks.
As industry leaders, J.P. Morgan Chase and Visa share a commitment
to working to meet consumers' demand for information-rich services that
will make their handsets more useful in helping them accomplish what is
most important to them.
Visa mobile services developed for the Android platform include:
* Alerts: Consumers will receive near real-time notification of
purchase activity based on customized cardholder preferences. The
consumer will be able to personalize the types of alerts delivered to
their mobile device according to pre-selected parameters, such as the
size of the transaction, or whether the transaction is in foreign
currency. Because these alerts are triggered by the transaction as it
passes through the Visa network, consumers will receive notifications
almost immediately, typically before they even leave the store. This
adds a new layer of peace of mind when using Visa, and a new way to
combat fraud.
* Offers: Consumers will receive targeted offers from
merchants directly to their phone. These offers - ranging from
discounts to loyalty offers - could be based on a consumer's previous
purchase activity. For consumers and merchants alike, this service will
ensure the most relevant offers are sent in a timely manner, helping
increase merchant traffic, loyalty and customer satisfaction.
*
Locator: The Locator service is expected to integrate with technology
developed by Google, such as Google Maps and Google location-based
services, to show consumers nearby locations of merchants sending them
offers, or of an ATM that accepts Visa. The location would be called
out on a map displayed on the mobile device screen.