MTS connected to the turnstiles

Probably all Muscovites remember how recently the new metro stations Trubnaya and Strogino were opened in Moscow. But not many are willing to recall that at conferences and meetings devoted to this issue, there were many innovative proposals for the development of the Moscow Metro.
In one of these statements (I do not remember whose it was), it was just said that it would be nice to pay for travel in the subway using a mobile phone. Then this proposal seemed to many impracticable and even fantastic ...
And so, quite recently, the first information appeared that the development of this original fare collection system is the responsibility of MTS.

I think many Muscovites who have to take the subway will like this decision. After all, if this idea is implemented, it will not be necessary to stand in lines and constantly search for a card in the bag or in the portman.

Below is the text of the article, which gave me water to write the topic.


The cellular operator Mobile TeleSystems together with Sitronics is testing special SIM cards that will allow you to pay for travel in the Moscow metro using a mobile phone. The operator promises to launch the service into commercial operation in 2009.
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As Mikhail Shamolin, President of MTS, told journalists in St. Petersburg yesterday, MTS is conducting test tests of SIM-cards for the fare payment in the Moscow metro. According to him, the sister company Sitronics produces the SIM cards (both are members of Sistema). The company intends to launch the service into commercial operation in 2009, the head of MTS summarized.

MTS press secretary Irina Osadchaya explained that the tests are conducted by a working group, which includes all participants in the process. The group develops technological and financial cooperation schemes for the introduction of new types of fare payment in the metro, including those based on NFC chips in the subscriber's SIM card. “Any specific questions about the project will be discussed only after the interim results of the group’s work have been obtained,” she added.

Near field communication (NFC) is a wireless communication technology that allows two electronic devices to exchange information using radio frequencies without physical contact, over short distances (no more than 5 cm). To pay for the subway, it will be enough for the subscriber to attach a tube supporting the NFC to the turnstile.

“This technology seems to us very promising, because it significantly simplifies the life of people when making micropayments,” says Mikhail Minkovsky, vice president of new technologies at Sitronics. - For example, a subscriber can use a mobile phone as a transport ticket, and the fare will be deducted from his subscriber account. To work with phones that support the NFC standard, SIM-cards use a special application developed for this standard. We are considering the possibility of issuing such SIM cards at the production facilities of Sitronics Smart Technologies.

"We are also testing NFC technology and are considering various options for its use," said Ekaterina Osadchaya, a spokeswoman for VimpelCom. Since NFC standards were adopted only in April, there are no user terminals supporting this technology yet - only 3-4 models in Europe, she says: “For now we offer to pay for utilities, movie tickets and online purchases using a mobile phone.” For this, the subscriber does not need a special phone and does not even need to change the SIM card, she explains.

“Such solutions have prospects if all the Big Three operators unite their efforts,” said Denis Irz, director of the MegaFon-Moscow operator’s department for new technologies. - We need a single universal system. Moscow “MegaFon” is ready to join this social project, and the first steps in this direction have already been made. We are confident that this service will be available to Muscovites in the foreseeable future. ”

PS Although I don’t take the subway, I’m frankly glad about the news. I think students and many other “potential” metro passengers will appreciate this innovation due to merit. :-)

Found at http://www.comnews.ru