The GSM Association (GSMA), the mobile network operators trade body, is calling for full NFC (Near Field Communications) functionality – including the standardised Single Wire Protocol (SWP) interface – to be built into commercially available mobile handsets from mid-2009, in order to ensure that consumers can reap the benefits of mobile payment services as soon as possible. 
The GSMAs Board – meeting this week in Macau, China says it fully supports the need for the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)-endorsed Single Wire Protocol standard to provide the interface between the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC, or SIM card) and the embedded NFC chipset within the handset. The NFC chip can communicate with existing contactless readers to deliver a wide range of secure, interoperable and transparent services, such as credit and debit payments. A series of operator trials under the GSMAs Pay-Buy-Mobile initiative – have demonstrated that consumers can use UICC-based NFC handsets to quickly, easily and securely pay for goods and services in shops, restaurants and train stations.
There is no doubt that there is a huge latent demand for a large variety of mobile transaction services, of which there is universal interest in proximity payments, as trials across the world have already shown, says GSMA CEO, Rob Conway. We are committed to ensuring that mobile payment services are delivered as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. But this will require device manufacturers to make sure that the vast majority of commercially available handsets incorporate the Single Wire Protocol and Near Field Communications features as standard. Doing so would enable the industry to leverage significant economies of scale, and ensure greater accessibility of NFC services for mobile users.
The GSMA says that recent operator trial results indicate a growing consumer demand for mobile payment services. Trials are underway across eight countries, involving nine mobile operators, as part of the GSMAs Pay-Buy-Mobile initiative. Further pilots are planned across 14 countries, by 15 mobile operators.
In Taiwan, in a trial of over 200 users, FarEasTone found that 90% of people felt positive toward the new service. 80% of people were satisfied that the service is secure, and 40% said they would switch their monthly spending to a mobile credit card service.
Seven banks and four mobile operators including Orange and SFR – involved in the Payez Mobile trial in France have announced the results of trials conducted with almost 500 sales outlets and nearly 1,000 triallists. Over 90% of triallists said they found contactless mobile payment convenient, fast, and easy to use. In addition, 94% declared that they would recommend it to their friends and family. Merchants welcomed the possibility of offering to their customers an innovative payment solution, with over 80% saying they appreciated the speed and cutting-edge appeal of mobile contactless payment.
Equally, in Korea, SKT and KTF found that m-transportation was very popular with users, and this is likely to translate to other mobile payment services. Approximately 450,000 users of the T-money service were quick to adopt the service, as it is convenient and compatible with existing readers. According to KTFs survey, 85% of m-transportation users indicated satisfaction levels were very high. 85% of them believe that using a contactless mobile phone is much more convenient than getting their wallet out to use public transportation, and would continue to use the mobile service. T-money attracts users not only for the public metro and bus, but also for small transactions such as buying goods from convenient stores by simply tapping on the contactless readers.    
In July, the GSMA, on behalf of operators issued a detailed Device Requirement  document to a wide range of vendors and suppliers in the Pay-Buy-Mobile ecosystem. 37 key players responded, giving a clear picture of the core requirements for any SWP/NFC device.   
The Pay-Buy-Mobile initiative builds on the infrastructure of the major credit card companies, which have developed specifications to ensure global interoperability between contactless chip cards and point of sale terminals, regardless of manufacturer, the financial institution and location of transaction.
The GSMA is working closely with leading financial intermediaries and banks to promote globally interoperable transaction solutions. Both MasterCard and VISA are supporting the trials with their PayPass and Visa payWave features respectively, that enable NFC-equipped phones to effect payment transactions at secure contactless point of sale terminals.
The GSMA has published two white papers on its website, one of which sets out several business models that can support a mobile payment service and one of which sets out version two of the GSMAs technical guidelines for NFC.
In September 2008 the GSMA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EMVCo, operated by JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa, Inc, to share information. The information received by the GSMA has been incorporated into a
second version of a Device Requirement Document, which will provide a
common set of requirements for SWP/NFC devices. This is intended to
make it easier for manufacturers to mass produce devices and to improve
global interoperability of SWP/NFC handsets. 
LG, Motorola, Nokia, Sagem and Samsung are among the handset makers developing phones for NFC-enabled mobile payment services, while Gemalto, G&D and KEBT are among the UICC card suppliers supporting NFC-enabled mobile payment services, and Vivotech and Harex are among the companies developing NFC-enabled readers that support NFC-enabled mobile payment services.