Online shopping becomes easier

Touch SIM is a new type of SIM card from True Move that allows its customers to use the electronic-money services of True Money, a subsidiary of True Corp, at any pay point that supports the Touch SIM technology and has a Touch SIM reader.

Actually, a Touch SIM reader is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader. A Touch SIM is a SIM card mounted with an RFID chip and an antenna pad. You need a mobile phone with a battery large enough to be able to place the antenna PAD under the battery.

Normally, when you want to pay for goods or services with electronic money in your Touch SIM account, you need to go to shops that support the technology, such as True Coffee, CP Freshmart, Mister Donut and Auntie Anne's Pretzels.

However, you can now shop online at home with security when you use the Touch Home Reader. This connects to a computer using a USB port.

During the test, I found no problem connecting it and installing a driver for a Windows XP system.

The CD that comes with the Touch Home Reader package provides a 64-bit driver, but I could not get the reader to work with a 64-bit Vista system. The driver was installed properly, but it seemed the reader could not set up a proper communication port with the computer.

Anyway, the Touch SIM reader worked well with Windows XP.

I ordered some food packages from CP Fresh Mart online at www.weloveshopping.com with no problems. I selected the packages and then clicked on the button to pay for the good with Touch SIM. The website then prompted me to key in my name and home address for delivery. When I confirmed that I would pay with Touch SIM technology, the system prompted me to hold my phone near to the Touch Home Reader and click OK. The electronic money was then paid and the system informed me how much money was left in my Touch SIM card.

There are several ways of refilling the Touch SIM card with electronic money, such as from a True Money account, from a Touch SIM refilling point, an ATM or a credit card transfer.

So far, for online shopping, the Touch SIM can only be used at weloveshopping.com, but True Move says the service will soon expand.

The Touch Home Reader package sells for Bt990.