Beijingers may soon be able to punch their mobile phones to pay for
tickets on public transit, sources with the city's public transportation group
said yesterday.
A variant of a mobile phone's SIM card is being developed and tested, said Xu
Fa, a marketing manager of the Beijing Municipal Administration and
Communication Card Co Ltd.
Xu said the card is now being tested on a new Nokia mobile phone, but he
didn't indicate when it might come into use.
A year ago the company introduced the so-called smart card that allows
commuters to swipe a credit card to ride the transit system. As of May 11, 11.43
million smart cards have been issued in Beijing, said Wang Lianqi, general
manager of the company.
In the future Beijingers may also be able to use their smart cards to pay for
their utilities such as water, electricity, and gas, said Wang.
"There is no problem with the technology but we need a seamless connection
between different public services. The work is in progress,Ħħsaid Wang.
