Melbourne contactless trial successful but next steps sketchy

The trial exceeded expectations with a clear consumer demand emerging for contactless mobile payments and services, according to the three companies.

Some 90 percent of participants were very or extremely satisfied with the contactless mobile phone payment system, 95 percent said they were likely or extremely likely to use this technology in the future and 78 percent said paying using a mobile phone was better than cash.

Merchant feedback is also understood to have been positive.

But the glowing appraisals will only lead the three companies "to continue to explore opportunities in this area in the next few years".

NAB was the most positive: "Now we know that mobile payments can work successfully in a real environment, revealing a strong consumer and merchant demand for such services, we are looking at ways to launch this into the Australian market," a spokesperson said.