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Near Field Communication and all contactless technology

U.S.-based startup Sequent has acquired what appears to be the remaining operational assets of former contactless reader and NFC software vendor Vivotech, purchasing Vivotech’s software unit.

Smart card and ID security company Morpho has signed an agreement to acquire Singapore-based trusted service manager Cassis International, putting another major TSM platform into the hands of a smart card supplier, NFC Times has learned.

Handset maker HTC and Cathay United Bank of Taiwan, among other parties, are expected to announce plans to launch an NFC mobile-payment project putting a MasterCard PayPass credit application on microSD cards that can run in a full NFC phone model from HTC.

LONDON – Visa Europe will begin sending out its designated Olympics phone, the Samsung Galaxy S III, to executives with European banks, mobile operators and retailers, along with athletes, starting next week, in preparation for the start of the games next month, according to Mary Carol Harris, vice president for mobile at the payment network.

Germany-based Giesecke & Devrient is the latest major smart card vendor to license Mifare technology from NXP Semiconductors, enabling G&D to put the transit fare-payment technology

France-based Oberthur Technologies has won a key contract to serve as trusted service manager for France Telecom-Orange group, but lost a TSM contract with big French bank BNP Paribas, NFC Times has learned.

Smart card companies Gemalto and Giesecke & Devrient have each been working for years on products that can secure content, software and PIN codes directly on smartphones and other devices, but have little revenue to show for it.

The chief of smart card supplier and trusted service manager Gemalto is predicting a fast-growing market for TSM services and noted the services were already contributing to profit.

Germany-based Giesecke & Devrient has announced it has won a contract to serve as trusted service manager for Australia’s Commonwealth Bank for the bank’s contactless-mobile payment rollout.

France-based Gemalto has announced its long-held agreement to serve as the trusted service manager for the U.S.-based Isis joint venture, which plans to launch its NFC platform next year.