Isis, the mobile wallet technology that AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have sunk millions of dollars into over the past year was delayed past its originally planned launch. This week, the service has finally launched – sort of.
According to a Mobileburn report, the service is only available to a very specific few mobile subscribers. First, the app is only available to T-Mobile customers who have a Samsung Galaxy S III or Galaxy Relay 4G. Second, the app requires a special SIM card and the device must not be rooted. Of the subscribers who meet all of that criteria, only those living in Salt Lake City, Utah or Austin, Texas can get the app. These are the two cities in the Isis pilot program.
The Isis mobile app is AT&T’s, Verizon’s, and T-Mobile’s answer to Google Wallet and PayPal mobile payments. The service will allow users to complete purchases at participating retailers using their smartphone.
Though the iPhone 5 did not include NFC capabilities as expected, the mobile payment investments were already in place and multiple services (including one backed by Walmart and Target) will debut over the next year. T-Mobile’s parent company, Deutsche Telekom has been leading the push for mobile payment investment in Europe.