By 
Isis, the mobile payment service spearheaded by AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, has launched today, bringing NFC-based payments to Salt Lake City and Austin as part of a limited rollout. The service pairs a secure SIM with the Isis Mobile Wallet app (available from Google Play) to provide one-touch payment at a plethora of retailers located in the two flagship markets.
The secure SIM is a big reason why Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T avoided Google Wallet in favor of Isis, although it does make things a little more difficult for consumers. Currently, only nine handsets are certified as ISis-ready, but the number looks to grow to 20 by the end of the year. With the ISIS Mobile Wallet app, consumers can add the credentials for any eligible American Express, Capital One, or Chase credit card directly, or by load funds onto the included Isis Cash card.
The arrival of Isis should give subscribers to its partner networks less reason to look jealously at Sprint’s customers, who have been using Google Wallet for some time now. Isis still appears to have some catching up to do with Google’s service, but the dual-city launch is a start.
ISIS™ LAUNCHES IN AUSTIN AND SALT LAKE CITY; AS MANY AS 20 ISIS READYTM HANDSETS TO BE AVAILABLE BY YEAR END
Launch Represents Milestone for Mobile Commerce Industry
AUSTIN, TEXAS and SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – October 22, 2012 – Isis™, the mobile commerce joint venture created by AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, today announced the availability of the Isis Mobile Wallet™ in Austin and Salt Lake City. Starting today, consumers can visit their AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon retail location and select from nine Isis Ready™ handsets, with an expected 11 additional handsets coming to market by year end.
“The launch of the Isis Mobile Wallet in Austin and Salt Lake City represents a milestone for both Isis and the mobile commerce industry,” said Ryan Hughes, chief marketing officer, Isis. “With as many as twenty Isis Ready handsets headed to market by year end, we are experiencing an unprecedented level of support for NFC and consumer choice.”
How to Get Started With the Isis Mobile Wallet on October 22nd:
1. Visit an AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA or Verizon Wireless retail store in Austin or Salt Lake City to receive a secure element SIM and ensure your handset model is Isis Ready
2. Download the Isis Mobile Wallet application from Google Play
3. Load an eligible American Express, Capital One or Chase credit card into the Isis Mobile Wallet or get started with the Isis Cash™ card that comes in every Wallet.
4. Get out and get tapping at any of the hundreds of locations across Austin and Salt Lake City where contactless payments are accepted, a full list of which can be found at www.paywithisis.com.
“The launch of the Isis Mobile Wallet is an important step toward accelerating mobile payments in the United States and maximizing convenience for consumers” said Bill Gajda, head of mobile product, Visa Inc. “Isis’ open approach directly aligns with Visa’s strategy of enabling consumers to make mobile payments with whatever device they choose using the trusted accounts they already have.”
“MasterCard has been working with industry partners like Isis to turn mobile phones into secure payment devices and create better shopping experiences for both consumers and merchants,” said Mung Ki Woo, group executive, mobile, MasterCard Worldwide. “The use of NFC technology is a path to an improved consumer experience, and the launch of the Isis Mobile Wallet – combined with the growing number of NFC-enabled handsets – will help make mobile commerce a reality for millions of consumers.”
“Today’s launch of the Isis Mobile Wallet is a significant achievement in terms of enabling consumer adoption of mobile payments,” said Suzan Kereere, senior vice president and general manager, American Express, Global Network Business. “Mobile commerce holds the promise of dramatically enhancing consumers’ shopping experience, and American Express’ first priority as a network is to provide choice and flexibility for all industry participants as we work together to influence the speed and growth of mobile NFC payments in the U.S.”
For more information on specific Isis Ready handsets, please visit an AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA or Verizon Wireless retail location in Austin or Salt Lake City.
What are the supposed “plethora of retailers”???
They have maps
http://www.paywithisis.com/where-to-use.xhtml
i just dont get it… what is so wrong with google wallet?
$$$$ for those carriers that get a % of each transaction. Money rules the world and this is no exception. Their greed will slow the development of this like the networks do for television. At least the music industry is getting over themselves and embracing the new world order of digital ecosystems.
wish I can vote up this post 10 more times
Google doesn’t promote or push for itself. It can’t complain when everyone else walks over them.
If it wasn’t for Verizon, most people wouldn’t know what Android was. Samsung and HTC use it but you don’t see Android features mentioned in their ads. Not even Google Maps when everyone was pointing out how bad Apple Maps were.
“The launch of the Isis Mobile Wallet is an important step toward accelerating mobile payments in the United States and maximizing convenience for consumers” ಠ_ಠ
Mobile payments could have been accelerated and convenience maximized if THEY HADN’T BLOCKED GOOGLE MOTHER F*****G WALLET IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Really a missed opportunity. And the funny thing is that ISIS being the only option on these other carriers will probably not get many people to use ISIS if they were really into Google Wallet. I, for one, am not interested in using anything other than Google Wallet so I guess I’m going to be out of this mobile payments circle until Verizon (my carrier) gets on board.
I’m sure plenty of people will use Isis if they don’t use root or some other method to get Google Wallet access. it’s the only option they have, otherwise, and there is small but growing demand for mobile wallet capabilities.
The point is, though, that Verizon et al. wanted Google Wallet to be more secure. ISIS = secure SIM that has to be installed in the phone. Remember, the Galaxy Nexus launch delay was at least partly the result of a disagreement between Google and Verizon over Google Wallet.
Meh, I’ll stick to Google Wallet.
I just signed up, and the GD thing won’t allow debit cards! That’s all I ever use! Well, at least I got 10 bucks free.
Credit cards only for now
Yeah, that’s my point…. And it sucks!
Now the carriers will have a big financial incentive to push NFC enabled android devices over the iPhone 5.
So apparently it doesnt work on rooted phones -.- noty
I’ll consider ISIS when Google Wallet is supported on my phone/carrier. Until then, I will not be bullied, and I will recommend others not to as well.
Only problem is that it’s only select phones. I went in to VZW to get my S3 activated nd they said it wasn’t ready.
But sure enough they wanted me to upgrade to an Isis ready phone. Renew my contract etc….. I walked out the door as fast as I could.
They won’t certify Google Wallet and now that Isis is ready they want you to buy a new phone. What bs.