'World first' Snapper app up for gong

SNAPPER MOBILE: The Touch2Pay smartphone app.

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Snapper's Touch2Pay smartphone application has been shortlisted for a ticketing technology award in London.

Touch2Pay, which was launched in Wellington in May, lets customers with some 2degrees smartphones tag on and off buses and pay for small items in stores by holding their phone - which does not need to be turned on - up to a reader or payment terminal, just as they would a Snapper card.

It offers some extra conveniences over Snapper cards in that balances are shown on the phone and can be topped up from the phone by credit card.

Snapper chief executive Miki Szikszai said the app had been downloaded 5000 times and used to process several hundred thousand dollars in transactions since its launch.

"Snapper is the first company in the world to create a mobile wallet that's working now for public transport, taxis and retail," he said. "Many other companies, including Google are still experimenting."

Touch2Pay will be one of three innovations competing for a gong at the Master Card-sponsored Transport Ticketing Awards on January 29.

The award is decided on by the public and Snapper asked Wellingtonians to support the 25-person Infratil subsidiary by voting for Touch2Pay before voting closes tomorrow.

- © Fairfax NZ News