Mobile NFC Payments Hitting 11,500 European Post Offices

Here in the US, when there's a story about the Postal Service it's pretty much always negative these days. But in Europe, it's a very different situation. The Post Office service across the pond has decided to roll out near field communication (NFC) technology to around 11,500 branches, making it easier than ever for customers to pay for their shipping services.

Somewhere around 30,000 individual cash register counters will be equipped with the new technology, which allows customers with specially-equipped phones to pay with a tap of their smartphone as opposed to taking out their wallet and paying with a credit card or cash. "Contactless will bring huge benefits to our customers by increasing choice and reducing transaction times," said Post Office CIO Lesley Sewell.

NFC has generated a lot of buzz from technology enthusiasts, but its place in the mass market has yet to be truly tested in places like the US. Google Wallet tried to bring it to the forefront, but Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile refused to play because they are working on their own alternative. That joint venture, Isis, will begin rolling out later this year.