On 10/31/14 AT&T published a version of SoftCard to the Windows Phone Store. I am curious about this app as it seems like AT&T was blocking the use of their SIM Cards with Nokia’s NFC Wallet application to NFC payments. I think that is a positive move for the other mobile platforms and offers competition for ApplePay.
Here are a few pictures during the installation. It offers a location finder to where the services can be used. Looks like similar locations that were just upgraded to ApplePay as well. Some people have posted that SoftCard has quit working at WalGreens and other locations that have upgraded their hardware, so this will be interesting to test out.
Here is the description from the Windows Store app about the software.
To use Softcard™, you need two things:
▶ A compatible smartphone that uses NFC (near field communication) technology to send payment info at checkout.
▶ An ENHANCED SIM CARD that stores and protects your payment and other sensitive payment information.
To find out if you have what you need, visit https://www.GoSoftcard.com or http://www.att.com/softcard.
SOFTCARD—THE WAY TO PAY WITH YOUR PHONE
Softcard is a free* app available for use with many of the latest smartphones.
▶ PAYMENTS: Add eligible payment cards and get all the benefits and protections you would with your physical card. Or setup a prepaid account and add money to it with your preferred debit card, credit card or U.S. bank account.**
▶ OFFERS: Find money-saving offers from participating merchants—right on your phone and ready to use.
▶ LOYALTY: Store participating loyalty cards and cut the clutter.
Plus, Softcard features state-of-the-art technology and layers of security to protect your information.
HOW TO PAY
Paying with your phone is easy.
1. Open Softcard and enter your PIN
2. Select a payment card to use
3. Hold the back of your phone over the contactless symbol on the terminal at checkout
WHERE TO PAY
You can use Softcard to pay anywhere contactless payments are accepted – that’s over 200,000 locations nationwide!
If it is true that McDonalds is implementing this nationwide then that will help push some of the other fast food companies to follow suite.
Edit – 11/5/14
I contacted AT&T corporate today and the representative was clueless about the SoftCard by AT&T as well as the process to request a secure SIM card. I hung up and contacted the Springfield IL AT&T corporate store and got a much different response.
Not only did the store representative know what I was talking about. He said he has been using it for some time at WalGreens, CVS, and McDonalds. He said that any corporate should have them in stock. I will try to grab one tomorrow if possible.
