JCB, AEON Credit Service and NTT DoCoMo jointly announced today that JCB and AEON have developed the QUICPay payment solution for cards with contactless IC chips. The QUICPay service is also compatible with NTT DoCoMo's smart-card handsets, which are capable of using i-mode FeliCa mobile wallet service. A trial project for the new QUICPay solution will begin this autumn.

QUICPay ("Quick and Useful IC Payment") offers simple and speedy offline payment service. By simply applying for this service, part of the customer's existing credit limit is assigned to a specific contactless IC chip, which may be embedded in a plastic card, or incorporated in the customer's i-mode FeliCa service compatible mobile phone.

As the QUICPay amount is billed to the customer's existing credit card, the new application lets customers continue to enjoy their credit card loyalty point and mileage benefits. While users of prepaid cards must track the remaining value and take the time to reload it with cash, with QUICPay, they can increase the credit line amount during a payment transaction at any service supported store.

QUICPay's most prominent advantage is the significant reduction of throughput speed compared to the conventional cash payment, as transaction times of less than one second are standard for offline processing and no signature is needed. Consequently, QUICPay is better suited for specific merchants such as supermarkets and convenience stores alike where promptness is appreciated.

"JCB's goal is to increase user-friendliness and at the same time maintain healthy growth in the credit industry. We believe that QUICPay benefits not only consumers, but merchants and card companies as well," said Atsushi Gondo Executive Officer at JCB. "And even more exciting is the added entertainment value for customers who use QUICPay with their mobile phone - the visual and communication elements make this payment system fun as well as user-friendly."

In the future JCB and AEON plan to invite other credit card companies to participate in QUICPay in cooperation with NTT DoCoMo's i-mode FeliCa Service.