There’s a lot of free NFC news and analysis on the Internet, and most of it is worth just about what you pay for it.

Most of the NFC and other mobile-commerce and related stories you read are repackaged press releases and aggregated articles–the latter often laden with a hefty dose of rumor and speculation.

In most publications, verified facts are hard to find, context is scarce and true groundbreaking news and analysis is almost nonexistent.

NFC Times has always been different.

Using our network of well-placed sources around the world and years of experience writing about NFC and contactless markets, we’ve given you exclusive coverage of the industry. We check stories out, telling you what the facts are and what they mean. And we often give you the first stories about news and trends, well before the rest of the tech or mainstream press catches on.

We were the first to tell you about secret talks among the four major U.S. mobile carriers that would lead to the formation of JVL Ventures, better known as Isis–months before the venture was announced. And we told you more than two months ago about Isis' plans for a national rollout, which the joint venture announced Tuesday night.

We were also the first to report about Google Wallet and interest by Citi and MasterCard Worldwide in the Internet search giant’s NFC plans, four months before the parties announced this project. And then we were the first to tell you about the serious troubles Google was having getting the wallet to scale.

You also learned first from NFC Times, more than a year ago, that Samsung was planning to enable payment from the embedded chips in its NFC phones; that Germany’s Deutsche Telekom and MasterCard would partner on NFC payments; and that China Mobile was pulling back from its original push for proprietary contactless SIM technology; along with many other exclusives.

Now, as NFC begins to enter its commercialization phase, there is more need than ever for accurate, meaningful and timely coverage.

That’s why we’re announcing that NFC Times will expand its coverage, offering more well-sourced and fact-filled news, more in-depth features on trends and critical issues and more hard-to-find data.

This will be in the form of a subscription-based premium news service and the first-ever global PDF newsletter devoted to the NFC and contactless markets. (Download a free sample of the first blockbuster edition of the newsletter here.)  All of this premium content will only be available to subscribers of NFC Times.

You will get the output of journalists, reporting both breaking news and in-depth analysis. This includes on-the-scene coverage at all the major NFC and related conferences and events.

The coverage will not be limited to NFC and will include other wireless and cloud-based technologies used for mobile payment and commerce, mobile ticketing and mobile ID.

We are strictly independent and unbiased, putting our years of experience to work for you cutting to the heart of stories and issues you need to know about. That includes asking the tough questions, when needed, and taking a critical look at the issues of the day. And unlike other publications, we will never give preferential treatment in our coverage to advertisers or paid sponsors.

There will still be plenty of free content on nfctimes.com, and, as before, most of it you will find nowhere else.

But for less than $25 per week for a yearly subscription at the introductory rate–a fraction of the total cost to attend one industry conference–you will get regular premium content, which you can view online or read as part of the colorful, in-depth digital PDF newsletter. There are other subscription options, as well.

This newsletter, which will come out at least eight times per year, will include premium content available when it is posted on the Web site, along with some new articles and data. Like the desktop site–and a new NFC Times mobile site–the newsletter will be packed with exclusive information and insight.

Now, we’re well aware that with so much free content about NFC, mobile commerce and related topics available on the Internet, it’s tempting to continue to read only this and believe you are getting an adequate picture of what is really going on in the NFC industry.

But with billions at stake in investment in NFC infrastructure and potential revenue from NFC and related services, that kind of unvetted, out-of-context information isn’t good enough.

As we’ve often said: While other publications wait to be spoon-fed press releases and talking points, NFC Times gives you the insight into the global NFC and contactless markets that you need to stay competitive.

Dan Balaban, editor and publisher
NFC Times

July 2013