Orange pushes NFC with Quick Tap Treats

MOBILE OPERATOR Orange has announced Quick Tap Treats, which it says is the UK's first mobile contactless retail rewards scheme.

The firm has teamed up with UK restaurant chain Eat to offer its customers with near field communications (NFC) enabled handsets rewards such as free food. The scheme will begin next month and run until the summer.

Orange said, "Last year we started a whole new movement in the way consumers make payments on the high street, and with Quick Tap Treats, we're continuing this with a new and innovative way for our customers to receive rewards for their loyalty. So whether it's a free coffee on the way into work, or a free baguette at lunchtime, you really do get more with you mobile on Orange."

Users will have to tap their phone on specially designed posters to then play a game in which they will win the gift. Rewards will include free food, drink and upgrades with one redeemable per day.

The game will also be downloadable from Orange World, Blackberry App World, Android Market and the OVI Store.

Orange said 200,000 of its customers will be able to use the Quick Tap Treats service at launch. These users will include those who have handsets from Samsung, Blackberry and Acer.

Some users might not even realise that their phone has NFC built-in, so Orange will be sending out a text message to make them aware of the scheme. µ