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Oulu, Finland Selected as Site for 2009 Near Field Communication Forum Members Meeting

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 May 2009, 07:00 CDT

R&D hotspot serves as venue to discuss the advances in NFC technology

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Oulu Innovation today announced that the NFC Forum (www.nfc-forum.org), a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, has selected Oulu, Finland as the site for its Fall 2009 members meeting. Representatives from global top technology firms will congregate in Oulu August 31 - September 4, 2009, to discuss issues such as NFC specifications, development, new business models, and innovative opportunities for implementing the short-range wireless connectivity standard.

Oulu is a R&D hotspot with a unique testing environment, top research institutes, a university and a university of applied sciences, seasoned experts and well-rounded support services. As the first ever member city of the NFC Forum, it is an ideal venue to discuss the advances of NFC technology.

During the weeklong members meeting, committees and working groups convene in daily, face-to face sessions to further the mission of the NFC Forum and to advance NFC initiatives. In the evenings, a series of events are planned, starting with "Mobile Monday" (www.mobilemonday.net), a casual event sponsored by Nokia. From September 1-2, one-on-one meetings will be organized for companies interested in matchmaking. On September 3, a "Touching the Business" event featuring top-level speakers and demos will provide inspiring views on future Internet-based mobile businesses. The "Developers Summit" on September 4 is designed to broaden NFC understanding by offering the latest practical knowledge and training from top experts of the NFC Forum. These main events are sponsored by Nokia, Oulu Innovation, VTT and Invest in Finland.

Oulu is credited with fostering numerous NFC innovations and became the first public sector operator in the world to test NFC technology in public service processes in 2005. Today, skilled and innovative high-tech companies and research centers have joined forces to form a NFC cluster in Oulu with the goal of developing new, inventive NFC applications that will revolutionize businesses. Diverse applications such as contactless payment for public transportation, parking and theatre tickets have been piloted in Oulu. NFC enabled mobile services for schools, daycare, and elderly people are either in use or will be implemented in Oulu.

For more information about the NFC Forum in Oulu, Finland and for registration for the series of events associated with the meeting, please visit http://www.nfcoulu.com/.

About Oulu, Finland

Oulu is a technology hub of Europe. In this time of digital revolution, Oulu has firmly established itself as one of the world's most significant centers in wireless communication development. Oulu offers a vibrant mix of business, research, and education that continually inspires new companies and products towards success in the world market. Oulu is a great place to develop competence and build success, as demonstrated with more than 800 hi-tech businesses operating in the region, including Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Polar, F-Secure, Wipro and Pulse. In addition to top-level international business, Oulu is home to many world-class education and research institutions. For more information please visit www.businessoulu.com .

About Near Field Communication Technology

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a standards-based, short-range wireless connectivity technology that enables simple and safe two-way interactions between electronic devices. NFC technology allows consumers to perform contactless transactions, access digital content and connect devices with the simplicity of a single touch.

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology provides global interoperability of contactless identification and interconnection technologies. NFC operates in the 13.56 MHz frequency range, over a typical distance of a few centimeters. The underlying layers of NFC technology are based on ISO, ECMA and ETSI standards. NFC technology is supported by the world's leading communication device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, IT and services companies, and financial services organizations. NFC is compatible with hundreds of millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed worldwide.

About the NFC Forum

The NFC Forum, (http://www.nfc-forum.org), was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 150 global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery and device capability.

The NFC Forum's Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: HP, Innovision Research & Technology plc, INSIDE Contactless, MasterCard Worldwide, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Panasonic, Renesas Technology, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics and Visa Inc.

SOURCE Oulu Innovation

Source: PR Newswire

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