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How to start making contactless card and NFC payments on the Tube
Using contactless cards instead of an Oyster to pay your travel fare has been possible on London buses for almost two years. From today, contactless card and NFC payments will also work on the capital's Tube, Overground, DLR and Tramlink networks, as well as on some rail services. For many commuters and regular visitors to The Smoke, using the iconic Oyster card has likely become a habit, and one you're not too bothered about breaking. While the Oyster will continue to be an easy way to get around, there are now several other options to consider. Join us as we explore the new ways to pay -- you never know, you might find one of them that little bit more convenient.
V.me by Visa coming to the Europe this autumn, cash starts begging for another chance
Visa Europe is muscling in on the European mobile payments game with V.me. The online service will allow you to store cards from different agencies (including American Express) for payments online and at NFC-enabled cash registers. It is expected to arrive in the UK, Spain and France in the Autumn, but it'll sadly be too late for it to gain any traction, since we'll have worked out how to glue PayTag stickers to our forehead by then.
Barclays releases PayTag: the NFC card you glue to your phone (video)
If you don't have a fancy NFC-enabled phone then it's hard to join the mobile wallet club. Fortunately, Barclays has introduced the PayTag that turns any phone into a contactless card. It's a square of plastic a quarter the size of a credit card that's sticky on one side -- yup, you just jam it on the back of your phone and hey presto, you can buy sandwiches, or any purchase up to £15 (£20 from June), without opening your wallet. The sticky squares will be rolling out exclusively to British Barclaycard customers over the next few months, although we're not sure what it'll do to the trade-in value of your handset.
