Orange is rolling out NFC SIM cards to its subscribers in France, in partnership with digital security firm Gemalto. The deployment of Gemaltos UpTeq SIM is intended to work towards implementation of a national NFC infrastructure, to enable service providers to deploy mobile contactless services in France en masse.

“Gemalto is the first supplier we’re working with for the deployment of NFC SIM cards at a national level,” says Thierry Millet, Orange vice president of mobile payments & NFC. “Gemalto’s NFC solution is fully in line with our strategy to simplify and secure the use of mobile contactless services. We are committed to equipping our customers with NFC SIM cards and handsets, and are delighted to achieve a new landmark with this nationwide rollout.”

The SIM provides the same security level as chip-based payment or smart cards, Gemalto says, and will mean Orange can offer French banks, transport operators, retailers, and more a solution to deploy enhanced services to end users.