NFC-enabled BlackBerry phones first to earn MasterCard PayPass certification

Research In Motion's (NASDAQ:RIMM) BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Curve 9360 have been designated as the first SIM-based, Near Field Communications-enabled smartphones to earn certification as MasterCard PayPass-approved devices.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 (pictured) is one of the first phones to earn MasterCard PayPass certification

With the certification, any MasterCard PayPass-issuing bank worldwide may deploy PayPass-enabled accounts to either smartphone's SIM card. According to MasterCard, the BlackBerry devices meet all the functionality, interoperability and security requirements necessary to receive PayPass certification.

Earlier this year, Research In Motion committed to integrating NFC into future BlackBerry devices, launching the NFC-equipped BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 in late summer. Two weeks ago, RIM unveiled BlackBerry Tag, an NFC-based solution enabling consumers to share contact information, documents, URLs, photos and related multimedia content by bumping their BlackBerry smartphones together

RIM has said it is waiting on its operator partners to flesh out their NFC plans before it begins supporting contactless mobile payments. In a statement included within the PayPass certification announcement, RIM vice president of handheld software product management Andrew Bocking said the manufacturer is "working proactively with [its] carrier partners, banks, retailers and other industry players" to create NFC-based mobile experiences.

MasterCard is a key partner in the new Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Wallet platform--the NFC-based service enables selected Nexus S Android smartphone users to make purchases by tapping their device at 300,000-plus PayPass-enabled merchant terminals. MasterCard is also one of several financial services providers to pledge support for Isis, the forthcoming NFC-based m-commerce network spearheaded by Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), AT&T (NYSE:T) and T-Mobile USA.

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