ORLANDO, FL – As near field communication continues to gain momentum, merchants and marketers should realize that it enables more than just contactless payments – it can be used to inspire consumer loyalty, according to a panel at CTIA Wireless 2011.

The battle between Research In Motion and wireless carriers over mobile-payment data is a precursor to a larger war over who owns consumers making transactions using mobile devices.

The near field communication ecosystem is finally coming together, setting the stage for the massive worldwide deployment of contactless mobile payments in 2012.

Mobile banking and payments are growing impressively, cutting costs for financial institutions, but where do banks need to ramp up?

A group of industry experts weighs in: Will NFC live up to the hype and help contactless mobile payments and marketing technologies such as smart posters reach the mass market?

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Gemalto announced several partnerships and new mobile commerce services, including mobile coupons via near field communication.

Gemalto, a provider of digital security, announced that its Near Field Communication SIM card products are compatabile with Nokia’s contactless mobile devices.