Orange (a telecommunications operator) and Barclaycard (a part of Barclays global and retail banking division) have launched a joint contactless credit card. It offers customers the option to set their own spending levels and keeps up-to-date with their account. The launch of this Orange Credit Card is the latest step in Orange and Barclaycard’s long-term strategic partnership aimed at introducing a broad range of mobile, financial and payment services to evolve the way consumers make payment transactions in the UK. Marc Overton, VP of wholesale, business development and partnerships at Orange UK, said: “A key part of our UK strategy is to grow and evolve our business, whilst at the same time provide extra value for our customers. In partnering with Barclaycard, we believe we’re doing just that, and today’s announcement is the next exciting step in the journey to the future world of consumers paying for everyday goods on their mobile phone.”

The British chain store Boots, in collaboration with Mastercard and RBS WorldPay, is to launch a contactless payment card in its stores in London and Liverpool.

Barclaycard, Barclays’ specialised card subsidiary, is to launch its new OnePulse card in September 2007. The three-in-one card combines a standard chip and PIN payment system, Transport for London’s contactless Oyster card function and Visa’s ‘wave and pay’ technology for low value payments (less than ten pounds). OnePulse will be accepted in more than a thousand retail outlets across London, with which Barclaycard has signed agreements. The retail outlets will include coffee shops, restaurants, newsagents and even museums: Coffee Republic, Threshers, Books Etc, YO!Sushi, Eat, Krispy Kreme, the Science Museum, etc. At the end of 2006, Barclays also signed an exclusivity agreement with TranSys, the company that manages the Oyster card for Transport for London, under which it has the right to integrate Oyster in its debit and credit cards for the next three years.