BART cell phone technology demonstrated

By Elizabeth Daley, Bay City News Service

October 31, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - At San Francisco's Embarcadero Station yesterday, Bay Area Rapid Transit Director James Fang showed onlookers how they may, in the future, be able to use their cell phones to pay BART fares.

BART spokesman Linton Johnson said as soon as cell phone manufacturers begin installing Near Field Communication Chips in American cell phones, customers will be able to use cell phones like debit cards, placing a certain amount of money on the chip and using existing NFC technology in toll stalls to simply swipe their phones to pay fares.

Motorola spokeswoman Jen Lyons said Motorola had partnered with MasterCard to conduct NFC technology trials two years ago and while NFC technology is "definitely something a lot of companies are looking at,"

Motorola has no specific date for releasing cell phones equipped with this technology. Lyons said.

Johnson said BART purchased toll stalls that were equipped with NFC readers because officials felt NFC technology, which is currently available in other countries, would become rapidly available in the United States.

BART reported that according to predictions from the wireless industry, NFC technology could be used to pay for a variety of goods and services.

The Translink program -- proposed years ago so that Bay Area transit passengers might be able to pay 26 different Bay Area transit providers with one card -- will be compatible with NFC technology, according to BART.

BART reported mobile phone payment is being tested at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, where patrons may use phones to buy tickets or pay for food at concessions stands, however, NFC toll-paying may be a few years away, according to Johnson.

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