OAKLAND, Calif. – About 250 morning commuters launched the nation’s first pilot yesterday to pay for their Bay Area Rapid Transit rides by tagging their cell phones on a reader located on top of the station gate.
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Once through the gate, trial participants were able to hold their mobile phone up to certain Jack in the Box and Sprint "smart advertisements" on BART station walls to receive discounts and directions to the nearest Jack in the Box restaurant, and subsequently use their phone to pay for their meal.
The Near Field Communications pilot was developed for Sprint by ViVItech. ViVOtech’s technology enables people to purchase gas, movie tickets, and even cab rides using only their RFID-enabled cell phone.
