Canadian BlackBerry owners will get NFC payments app thanks to Payfirma

NFC payments will hit Canada for BlackBerry owners in the form of the Payfirma NFC Mobile Payment app that will allow Canadians to accept payments right on their phones using a Square type app. The company has just launched its non-NFC version and has committed to launching the near field communications payments version next.

It looks like the NFC capabilities of recent BlackBerry NFC smartphones is going to be put to good use in Canada thanks to Payfirma and its upcoming BlackBerry NFC Mobile Payment app. It was a month ago that Payfirma launched their iPhone app and now they are back with a Mobile Payments app for BlackBerry phones that have recently been released. BlackBerry phones that support NFC include the BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Bold 9930, all three new variations of the BlackBerry Curve, and the rumored Bellagio is also reputed to include some NFC goodness. The next iteration of Payfirma’s Mobile Payment app is promised to have NFC Payments built straight in.

“Payfirma’s mission is to bring efficient payment technologies to all Canadian businesses, large and small.”

Anyone with a Payfirma merchant account can download the Mobile Payments app and start accepting credit card payments instantly, the company says. All that is needed to make a transaction is either a mobile network operator data connection or a WiFi connection and Payfirma’s Canadian customers can start taking mobile payments, which is easier than taking candy from babies. Curiously, the company noted that the app will work with most BlackBerry devices which lets us know that the app allows users to manually input card details to complete transactions. However, when you take a look at Payfirma’s website the information provided suggests that only the Bold and Torch are compatible, which is very odd considering the new Curve is an NFC smartphone and should be every bit as capable as the Torch in accepting mobile payments.

“Payfirma’s mission is to bring efficient payment technologies to all Canadian businesses, large and small,” noted Michael Gokturk, CEO and Founder of Payfirma, “now consumers and merchants can accept payment for goods and services on their Blackberries anywhere with a cellular or WIFI signal – thereby increasing their sales efficiencies and improving the overall checkout experience.”

Payfirma is promising to launch an NFC Mobile Payment app on your BlackBerry next

“The next release of our mobile apps will enable users to link their settled funds from the phone directly to an NFC (near-field communication) chip within the phone itself,” continues Gokturk, “enabling the smartphone to be used as an e-wallet and using it to pay for goods and services wherever NFC devices are enabled.”

So now we know what the NFC capabilities in BlackBerry devices will get to do in the near future – in Canada at least.  The NFC payment space has started to heat up in Canada and it looks as if Payfirma, who are a leading provider of credit and debit card merchant accounts and mobile payment processing technologies in Canada, are looking to put their hat in the ring. For now the company has released the non-NFC Mobile Payments app which can be downloaded here, and are offering some discounted rates up until August 31st for anyone in Canada who wants to give the service a try.