Orange France has launched a contactless payment and ticketing service in the area around Nice. It's based on an NFC-equipped version of the Samsung Player One (Tocco Lite) handset and includes a free Cityzi pass that'll let consumers buy and validate tickets on public transport, pay in shops and accumulate loyalty points. There'll be no additional charge for any mobile internet connections triggered by Cityzi usage, such as buying tickets.
It's part of a city-wide pilot scheme that's being coordinated by the Association Française pour le Sans Contact Mobile. Orange says its participation in the Nice-based scheme is a "rehearsal" for the national deployment it's planning for 2011.