A customer uses an OPTUS internet facility at Sydney International Airport, Australia, November 8, 2015.
A customer uses an OPTUS internet facility at Sydney International Airport, Australia, November 8, 2015. Reuters/David Gray

Optus has announced new payment accessories in the form of a band and a sticker for its mobile payment facility. Cash by Optus is now available for the majority of devices, promising to give customers flexibility to make quick and easy contactless payments using their smartphones.

Using Near Field Communication (NFC) and Visa payWave technology, the band and sticker allow mobile customers to turn their compatible smartphones to make contactless purchases under $100.

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Prepaid and postpaid mobile customers are encouraged to sign up online and download the Cash by Optus app. They have three options, depending on their device. They can opt for sticker, band or sim.

Cash by Optus Band is for a wide range of smartphones that support Cash by Optus. The band is linked to the app so customers can make payments using only the band without their smartphones nearby.

Cash by Optus Sticker is recommended for those with compatible non-Android smartphones. The sticker is attached to the back of their device and linked directly to the Cash by Optus app. This allows customers to pay for their purchases using their smartphone instead of cash or debit or credit cards.

Cash by Optus SIM allows customers to make purchases using their Android smartphones. The SIM cards work without a band or sticker.

“Cash by Optus Payment Accessories is the natural next step for Optus since we were the first Australian telco to introduce a mobile payment solution to the market in 2014. Backed by two trusted names, Visa and Heritage Bank, Optus is continuing to look at ways to expand Cash by Optus and bring innovative products and services to our customers,” Acting Managing Director of Product and Marketing, Ben White, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Optus is reportedly preparing a direct-to-consumer offering for the English Premier League streaming. According to the Australian Financial Review, customers of the telco will receive a discount if they subscribe to the service. Optus won the rights for the next football season over Foxtel in November.

However, it is apparently encountering difficulties with developing apps that it plans to offer customers, as well as with providing for pubs and other establishments, most of which use Foxtel business. AFR reports that Optus is thinking of working with Foxtel to solve the problem.

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