Osaifu-Keitai
Encyclopedia
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
of NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo
is the predominant mobile phone operator in Japan. The name is officially an abbreviation of the phrase, "do communications over the mobile network", and is also from a compound word dokomo, meaning "everywhere" in Japanese. Docomo provides phone, video phone , i-mode , and mail services...
, which developed the system. It refers to mobile phones that integrate Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's Mobile FeliCa
FeliCa
FeliCa is a contactless RFID smart card system from Sony in Japan, primarily used in electronic money cards. The name stands for Felicity Card...
ICs
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
, as well as to services provided by applications on these phones.
Although it was developed by NTT DoCoMo, the system is also supported by other mobile phone operators, making it the de facto standard mobile payment
Mobile Payment
Mobile financial services, also referred to as mobile money, mobile payment, mobile banking, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet generally refer to payment services operated under financial regulation and performed from or via a mobile device....
system in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Osaifu-Keitai services include electronic money
Electronic money
Electronic money is money or scrip that is only exchanged electronically. Typically, this involves the use of computer networks, the internet and digital stored value systems...
, identity card
Identity document
An identity document is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card...
, loyalty card
Loyalty program
Loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts that reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behavior — behavior which is potentially beneficial to the firm....
, fare collection of public transits (including railways, bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es, and airplanes), or credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
.
Operators
- NTT DoCoMoNTT DoCoMois the predominant mobile phone operator in Japan. The name is officially an abbreviation of the phrase, "do communications over the mobile network", and is also from a compound word dokomo, meaning "everywhere" in Japanese. Docomo provides phone, video phone , i-mode , and mail services...
Group: i-modeI-modeNTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocol, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail and the packet-switched network that delivers the data...
FeliCa - auAu (mobile phone operator), or au by KDDI, is a mobile phone brand in Japan marketed by KDDI Corporation in the main islands of Japan and Okinawa Cellular in Okinawa.-Naming:...
(KDDI, Okinawa Cellular): EZ FeliCa - SoftBank Mobile: S! FeliCa
- WillcomWillcomis a Japanese PHS operator, offering flat-rate wireless network data transmission and flat-rate voice calls for its subscribers.The company was formerly known as DDI Pocket, a subsidiary of KDDI. In 2004, the Carlyle Group acquired a majority stake from KDDI and changed the name of the company in...
: WILLCOM IC Service
Advantages
FeliCa, developed by Sony, is the de facto standard technology used for Japanese smart cardSmart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
s. Many of these cards accept Osaifu-Keitai (Mobile FeliCa) system as well, or plan to accept it in future. Osaifu-Keitai can provide more convenient services than plastic FeliCa cards. For instance, it can automatically recharge itself via the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, or provide the latest information. It can also be used as a ticket
Ticket (admission)
A ticket is a voucher that indicates that one has paid for admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, movie theater, amusement park, zoo, museum, concert, or other attraction, or permission to travel on a vehicle such as an airliner, train, bus, or boat, typically because one has...
for an airplane or an event, by downloading an electronic ticket. Unlike plastic cards, a single Osaifu-Keitai phone may accept multiple applications, each equivalent to different cards.
Disadvantages
Osaifu-Keitai provides many functions on a single mobile phone. Therefore, there is a great risk if the phone is lost, broken, or stolen. Osaifu-Keitai basically functions even without radio transmissionsRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, so the applications can not be terminated just by closing a phone account. A user has to contact each service provider to stop all the functions. There are some phones that can lock the functions via a phone call or an E-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
.
Since Osaifu-Keitai can function as identity card (such as member card, company card, or keycard
Key (lock)
A key is an instrument that is used to operate a lock. A typical key consists of two parts: the blade, which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow, which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. The blade is usually intended to...
), there is also a risk for those who authenticate it.
Services
| Name | | Provider | | Function | | Introduction | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NTT DoCoMo | au | SoftBank | |||
| Edy Edy Edy provided by bitWallet, Inc. in Japan is a prepaid rechargeable contactless smart card. It uses Sony's FeliCa technology, also used by the competing Suica/Pasmo cards by JR East. While the name derives from euro, dollar, and yen, it works with yen only.On April 18, 2006, Intel announced a five... |
BitWallet | Electronic money | July 10, 2004 | September 9, 2005 | November 11, 2005 |
| ANA Mobile AMC Appli | All Nippon Airways All Nippon Airways , also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009... |
Member card, airplane ticket | July 10, 2004 | September 9, 2005 | November 11, 2005 |
| club ap Appli | ampm Ampm ampm is a convenience store chain with branches located in several U.S. states including Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, recently in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida, and in several countries worldwide, including Japan... |
Member card | July 10, 2004 | Works as a card without application | |
| eLIO Mobile Service | Sony Finance | Credit card | July 10, 2004 | December, 2005 | － |
| Sega Mobile Friends | Sega Sega , usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world... |
Member card | July 10, 2004 | September 15, 2005 | November 11, 2005 |
| Bic Point Kinō-tsuki Kētai (Bic Point Function Mobile) | Bic Camera | Member card | July 10, 2004 | January 12, 2006 | January 18, 2006 |
| vit Appli | TŌHŌ Toho is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group... Cinemas |
Event ticket | July 10, 2004 | － | － |
| Mobile J-WAVE PASS | J-Wave J-Wave J-Wave is a commercial radio station based in Tokyo, Japan, broadcasting on 81.3 FM from the Tokyo Tower to the Tokyo area. J-Wave airs mostly music covering a wide range of formats. The station is considered the most popular among FM broadcasts in Tokyo, and has surprised the radio broadcast... |
Event ticket | July 10, 2004 | － | － |
| club DAM MEMBERS Appli | Daiichikōshō | Member card | July 10, 2004 | － | － |
| JAL IC Service | Japan Airlines Japan Airlines is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport... |
Member card, airplane ticket | January 11, 2005 | － | － |
| Gold Point Card | Yodobashi Camera Yodobashi Camera Yodobashi Camera Co.,Ltd. is a chain store mainly selling electronic products. Currently, there are 21 stores in Japan. It also maintains two online stores in China; one with a limited selection of products from its Japanese online store through SBI VeriTrans that supports payments by UnionPay,... |
Member card | August 30, 2004 | September 9, 2005 | November 11, 2005 |
| Matsukiyo Point Appli | Matsumoto Kiyoshi | Member card | September 4, 2004 | March 23, 2006 | December 2, 2006 |
| Cmode (Shīmo2) | Coca Cola The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia... (Japan) |
Electronic money | September 24, 2004 | November 30, 2006 | April 2, 2007 |
| GEO Mobile Member Card | GEO | Member card | November 15, 2004 | October 14, 2005 | November 16, 2005 |
| Kazapon | FeliCa Networks | Information download | November 15, 2004 | Accepts | － |
| kesaka Service | KESAKA System | Keycard | November 22, 2004 | － | May, 2006 |
| Smartplus (VISA TOUCH) | Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS | Credit card | December 22, 2004 | September 15, 2005 | February 1, 2006 |
| FeliCa Pocket Mobile | Sony Sony , commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues.... |
Member card | Accepts | － | － |
| Toku Toku Pocket | NEC NEC , a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government.... |
Member card | April 1, 2005 | October, 2005 | February 15, 2006 |
| QUICPay Mobile | Japan Credit Bureau Japan Credit Bureau Japan Credit Bureau is a credit card company based in Tokyo, Japan. Its English name is .Founded in 1961, JCB established dominance over the Japanese credit card market when it purchased Osaka Credit Bureau in 1968, and its cards are now issued in 20 different countries... |
Credit card | April 4, 2005 | September 9, 2005 | February 15, 2006 |
| Edy Charge Appli | eBank | Electronic money | May 15, 2005 | October 17, 2005 | Accepts |
| Plus Mobile for Edy-Style | CYBIRD | Member card | June 6, 2005 | Accepts | － |
| TOWNPOCKET | Techfirm | Member card | August 8, 2005 | September, 2005 | November 11, 2005 |
| Mobile e-card IC e-card is a rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport by Iyo Railway in Matsuyama, Japan. The card was introduced from August 23, 2005, succeeding the previous e-card, a magnetic prepaid card... |
Iyo Railway Iyo Railway The is a transportation company in Matsuyama, Japan. The company or its lines are commonly known as . The private company operates railway, tram, and bus lines, and is a core company of Iyotetsu Group, which also operates other business such as department stores and travel agencies.-History:The... |
Public fare collection | August 23, 2005 | － | － |
| Hawks IC Ticket | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were... Marketing |
Event ticket | August 29, 2005 | － | March 29, 2006 |
| ToruCa | NTT DoCoMo | Coupon ticket | November 11, 2005 | － | － |
| iD | NTT DoCoMo | Credit card | December 1, 2005 | － | － |
| Mobile Nagasaki Smart Card Nagasaki Smart Card is a contactless smart card system used in Nagasaki, Japan. Its operators are Nagasaki Electric Tramway and six bus companies, namely, Nagasaki Bus, Nagasaki Prefectural Bus, Saihi Bus, Saikai Kōtsū, Sasebo Municipal Bus, and Shimatetsu Bus... |
Public transit operators in Nagasaki | Public fare collection | December 12, 2005 | － | － |
| Mobile Suica Mobile Suica is a service for Osaifu Keitai mobile phones, first launched on January 28, 2006 by NTT DoCoMo and au in Japan, and now also offered by SoftBank Mobile and Willcom. Suica is a prepaid rechargeable contactless smart card mainly used to pay for fares on the JR East railway network.Just like... |
East Japan Railway Company East Japan Railway Company is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo.... |
Public fare collection, electronic money | January 28, 2006 | January 28, 2006 | December 2, 2006 |
| Mobile NicoPa | Shinki Bus | Public fare collection | February 1, 2006 | － | － |
| Okudake Ninshō | BIGLOBE | User authentication | February 27, 2006 | February 27, 2006 | February 27, 2006 |
| MoCoCa | NTT Business Associe | Keycard | March 8, 2006 | － | － |
| χsmart | NTT Telecon | Office authentication | April 1, 2006 | － | － |
| WonderGOO Mobile Member Card | WonderCorporation | Member card | Accepts | Accepts | Accepts |
| au Kētai Coupon | KDDI | Coupon ticket | － | January 16, 2007 | － |
| nanaco Nanaco nanaco is a prepaid and rechargeable contactless electronic money card used in 7 Eleven convenience stores in Japan.Supplied by IY Card Service Co., a subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings Co., nanaco is available as nanaco card and nanaco mobile .The Nanaco format also features a postpay... Mobile |
Seven & I Holdings Seven & I Holdings Co. is a diversified retail group headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Founded originally in 1920 as Ito-Yokado, Seven & I is now the fifth largest retailer in the world, with 35,000 stores in approximately 100 countries.-History:... |
Electronic money | April 10, 2007 | April 12, 2007 | September 12, 2007 |
| Gurunavi Touch | Gourmet Navigator (Gurunavi) | Coupon ticket | September 3, 2007 | September 3, 2007 | September 3, 2007 |