Using public transportation anywhere in Europe without having to buy physical tickets is the objective of Wizway Solutions, the joint venture who is a specialist in contactless (NFC) mobile for the transport industry. As a real key element to MaaS (Mobility as a Service) applications, Wizway has developed a solution allowing AOMs and operators to emulate contactless travel tickets on the NFC smartphone of their travelers. In few lines of code, transport operators can easily deploy their solution into the mobile app selling tickets of their transport network. Travelers can buy transport tickets and subscriptions from their smartphones, then easily use it (validation, control), like they would usually do with their contactless transportation card, to travel on transportation networks. Zoom on this solution made in France.
An API to dematerialize transport tickets
Four major industrial players, Thales (ex-Gemalto), Orange, SNCF and RATP, have come together to create Wizway Solutions in March 2016. Born from a deep reflection on improving the passenger experience in transportation, Wizway aims at providing transport operators and AOMs with smartphone solutions for the dematerialization of transport tickets. Using NFC technology, Wizway combines security, fluidity, ease of use and interoperability. Supported by the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Digital, Wizway also participates in the development of MaaS projects. (Mobility as a Service)
What is NFC technology?
NFC or Near Field Communication is a technology allowing “the exchange of data between a reader and any compatible mobile terminal or between the terminals themselves”. For example, it is the technology preferred by mobile payment solutions. The advantage of this technology is that it is simple to use, does not require the opening of an application (since the two media are brought together) and is very secure.
Transit users are used to using this technology, without realizing it, since transit passes are often equipped with it. It is therefore very relevant for transport operators to replace the traditional transport card with the smartphone.
Wizway, a real solution for travelers
Although it is relevant for transport operators to replace the card with the smartphone, it is complex to integrate this technology into transport applications. This is where Wizway comes in because, thanks to its easily integrable API, it is possible for them to have this technology, as Wizway absorbs the complexity.
Wizway therefore enables smartphones equipped with NFC technology to be transformed into real transport cards. Thanks to Wizway, it is possible for travelers to buy their tickets and find them in one and only place. The API stores all the tickets in the smartphone and guarantees increased security compared to a traditional travel card. Indeed, in case of loss or theft, services are deactivated in real-time. As a result, it is very easy to travel anywhere in France or Europe because all the transport tickets are gathered in one place.
When we know that nearly 93% of French people over 12 years old own a smartphone and that in Europe, 150 million people take public transportation every day, there is no doubt that Wizway Solutions will facilitate the travel experience of millions of people.
From now on, Wizway has been integrated into the Strasbourg, Lille and Île-de-France transport system and seems to be very successful. It would therefore be interesting to see this solution deployed throughout the country 😉.
