Marta Campos Ferreira

MobiPag: Integrated Mobile Payment, Ticketing and Couponing Solution Based on NFC

Mobile payments still remain essentially an emerging technology, seeking to fill the gap between the envisioned potential and widespread usage. In this paper, we present an integrated mobile service solution based on the near field communication (NFC) protocol that was developed under a research project called MobiPag. The most distinctive characteristic of Mobipag is its open architectural model that allows multiple partners to become part of the payment value-chain and create solutions that complement payments in many unexpected ways. We describe the Mobipag architecture and how it has been used to support a mobile payment trial. We identify a set of design lessons resulting from usage experiences associated with real-world payment situations with NFC-enabled mobile phones. Based on results from this trial, we identify a number of challenges and guidelines that may help to shape future versions of NFC-based payment systems. In particular, we highlight key challenges for the initial phases of payment deployments, where it is essential to focus on scenarios that can be identified as more feasible for early adoption. We also have identified a fundamental trade-off between the flexibility supported by the Mobipag solution and the respective implications for the payment process, particularly on the users mental model.

How to Encourage the Use of Public Transport? A Multiservice Approach Based on Mobile Technologies

It is crucial to promote the use of cleaner transport modes, and new technologies are key to achieve this goal. Most mobile-based solutions are focused on services related with the journey itself (mobile ticketing, real-time traffic information and trip planners). Adopting a holistic point of view, and considering every trip has a purpose (work, school, shopping and entertainment), a new service approach is considered. This paper presents a multiservice approach that links city services and public transport to encourage the use of sustainable transport modes. This multiservice approach is based on mobile technologies, which are a unique channel of interaction between service providers and customers. The conceptual model of this approach is materialized in a concrete example. This multiservice approach may represent a step towards a sustainable mobility, while improving the image and efficiency of Public Transport Operators (PTOs), boosting local businesses loyalty and sales and bringing convenience, better service quality and monetary savings to customers.

Evaluation of an Integrated Mobile Payment, Ticketing and Couponing Solution Based on NFC

The emergence of Near Field Communication technology added more functionality to mobile phones. People can now access to new mobile services such as payment, ticketing, couponing, and control access to cars, homes and hotels. Although these services seem to complement each other, most studies have focused on the development and evaluation of each mobile service individually. In this paper, we propose an integrated mobile service solution – payment, ticketing and couponing – based on NFC. This solution was evaluated in a two-phase user study, which was run in real environment. Participants have largely appreciated the integration of tickets and discount coupons on the payment process. However, despite the integration of services being one of the strongest points of the solution, it also revealed to be one of the main challenges that any payment systems may have to address. Findings suggest that adding additional services to a solution may become very complex from a cognitive perspective.

A Proposal for a Mobile Ticketing Solution for Metropolitan Area of Oporto Public Transport

The use of mobile phones to make payments is already a wide-spreading reality. While some mobile payment solutions achieved a considerable success and are already in use, others failed in the pilot phase. Nevertheless, there is an area where mobile payments have been quite successful: mobile ticketing in public transport. In fact, there are several advantages of mobile ticketing over traditional ticketing systems, such as queue avoidance, ubiquitous and remote access to payment, and the lack of need to carry coins and cash. This paper intends to propose a mobile payment system to be implemented in the Public Transport of Metropolitan Area of Oporto. After defining the payment ticketing model, a prototype was developed and tested by a sample of users. These tests allowed gathering some feedback about the feasibility of the system as well as useful insights about the concept, new in public transport in Portugal. The findings attained so far suggest that users considered the system extremely useful, since it is more convenient than traditional systems, improving the travelling process and experience. It was also clear that users valued the integration of additional and complementary services with mobile payments, such as real-time traffic information, maps and schedules. There are also several barriers to the adoption of such a system elicited by users, such as premium price, complex interfaces and perceived risks, such as security and privacy concerns.

Design Lessons from Deploying NFC Mobile Payments

The adoption of mobile payment systems is known to face multiple concerns regarding security, usability and value proposition. In this work, we start from the assumption that initial acceptance will always be weak because of the lack of an established usage frame. Instead, we focus on understanding how we can leverage upon the real contact with the technology to create a solid path for gradual acceptance through the development of new practices and the increasing perception of value. In this study, we report on our findings with a real-world prototype of a NFC-based payment system. We identify a set of design lessons that may help to improve the initial phases of NFC-based payment deployments and provide a path for the adoption that focuses on positive initial user experiences and early adoption scenarios.

Usability Evaluation of a Public Transport Mobile Ticketing Solution

Many public transport mobile ticket solutions have arisen but new technologies can face difficulties when launched for a number of reasons that are directly addressed by usability evaluation – a central process in developing usable, hence useful high quality systems with which humans can interact. This paper presents a usability testing performed in context of use of a recently developed public transport mobile ticketing solution for the Metropolitan Area of Porto, Portugal. The objective was to determine if the application is easy to use and navigate for the average user and to generate valuable suggestions for making the app more user-friendly and tasks such as using public transport services and understanding fares quicker and less complicated. Along with problems detected, a list of recommendations by order of importance for improving usability aspects of the mobile application was provided. This study aims to inform developers about usability practices for making mobile ticketing solutions easier to use and stimulate its wider adoption.