Australian telcos are drawing up plans for customers to pay via their cell phones or tablets at checkouts when making a purchase.
For a number of years now, plans have been ramped up that could result in credit cards becoming obsolete.
It is a very simple idea: all customers need to do is shop for the goods they need, and when they are done, instead of using a credit card they scan their mobile device over a sensor at the checkout. A bank account is linked to the device, and by scanning it the amount is debited.
However, this "payment through phones" concept has failed to gain much traction, because there are not many phones on the market with the NFC (near-field communication) chips that enable them to make payments.
"Predictions are that the global picture for mobile technology will change in 2013," according to Vodafone and Telstra, as more NFC-equipped devices are launched.
It has long been promised, but by next year there will be a large number of devices on the market with the NFC chip built in, says Dr Hugh Bradlow, Telstra's chief technology officer.