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NFC Times Exclusive Insight – Softcard’s jobs cuts are more severe than earlier reported, and the layoffs are a sign that the mobile carriers making up the joint venture have rejected a 2015 budget proposed by management of the struggling NFC wallet, NFC Times has learned.

NFC Times Exclusive: Mobile network operators will take delivery of at least two-thirds more NFC SIMs this year than in 2013, predicts operator trade association, the GSMA, though the impact of host-card emulation remains to be seen.

Incipio’s Cashwrap NFC case to enable iPhone owners to use the Isis Mobile Wallet is available for Verizon Wireless, the accessories maker announced Thursday.

As the Isis joint venture gears up for a planned commercial expansion, a senior member of the technical staff at its largest member telco, Verizon Wireless, noted that testing, certification and getting the customer experience right has required much work.

Verizon Wireless, the largest mobile operator in the U.S., along with U.S. payment brand Discover Financial Services have joined the NFC Forum as principal members, giving them a say in developing NFC standards and forum policy.

The Isis mobile operator joint venture plans to introduce a new design for its mobile wallet and is changing the supplier of its device software, NFC Times has learned.

The Isis joint venture has disclosed it will miss its deadline for launching its much-anticipated two-city NFC trial in the U.S., blaming small problems that it says could prevent it from “getting the customer experience right.”

Motorola Mobility has launched three NFC-enabled Android phones, as part of its Droid Razr family, all exclusively available on U.S. mobile operator Verizon Wireless.

U.S. mobile operator AT&T is seeking to offer other NFC services besides payments when it launches its mobile wallet—services that could include transit and event ticketing, digital door keys for offices, homes and hotel rooms and airline boarding passes, NFC Times has learned.

No. 3 U.S. mobile carrier Sprint is planning to launch its own NFC mobile wallet as early as this summer, NFC Times has learned, as the mobile wallet war in the United States continues to heat up.