U.S. Bancorp announced Monday that it is testing mobile payments in Spokane, Wash., in conjunction with the credit card company MasterCard Inc.
The Minneapolis banking company described the introduction as a mobile payments pilot program. Contactless card readers have been installed at movie theaters, fast-food outlets, and other sites, and participants in the test are using Nokia mobile phones with near-field communications chips enabling them to be used with the readers.
U.S. Bancorp did not say how many people are participating in the payments trial.
As part of the trial, Gonzaga University is accepting MasterCard's PayPass contactless cards at vending machines on its campus.
MasterCard, in Purchase, N.Y., said that more than 80,000 merchants accepted its PayPass at Nov. 27.
