AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless have formed a joint venture chartered with building Isis, a national mobile commerce network.

Isis’ initial focus will be on building a mobile payment network that utilizes mobile phones to make point-of-sale purchases. By utilizing smartphone and near-field communication (NFC) technology to modernize the payments process, Isis intends to deliver new levels of competition and value to consumers and merchants. Isis expects to introduce its service in key geographic markets during the next 18 months.

The new venture will enable contactless mobile payment and commerce services using near-field communication technology. NFC uses short-range, high frequency wireless technology to enable the encrypted exchange of information between devices at a short distance. The new system is being designed and built to include strong security and privacy safeguards.

Michael Abbott has been named as chief executive officer of Isis. Formerly with GE Capital, Abbott is a veteran financial services executive with extensive experience in the payment and technology industries.

The three founding members collectively provide wireless services to more than 200 million consumers who will have access to the Isis service. Isis is working with Discover Financial Services’ payment network, currently accepted at more than seven million merchant locations nationwide, to develop an extensive mobile payment infrastructure for the joint venture.

Barclaycard US, part of Barclays PLC, is expected to be the first issuer on the network, offering multiple mobile payment products to meet the needs of every customer.

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Tides of Change: AMC, NCTC on Meeting an Evolving Audience

During a panel on the last day of Advertising Week New York, AMC Networks Chief Commercial Officer Kim Kelleher and NCTC CEO Lou Borrelli discussed what each side of the content business is doing to address the demands of an evolving audience.

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