The NFC Forum (www.nfc-forum.org), a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, today announced that its membership ranks have increased to over 130 members, representing 20 percent growth in five months.

Since its founding in 2004, the NFC Forum has drawn market-leading organizations from around the world to its membership roster as momentum builds for the adoption and implementation of Near Field Communication technology.

SCM Microsystems, Inc and Toppan Forms Co., Ltd join the Forum as Principal members. At the Associate level, new members are Bond Communications, Booz Allen Hamilton, Cherry GmbH, Ecrio, Inc., Ericsson AB, Fuji Electric Holdings, Co. Ltd., Hypercom Corporation, IBM, KPN, Logomotion s.r.o., Over-C, Mobicom Corporation, Payter Holding BV, Sasken Communications, SOFTBANK Corp., Swisscom Mobile AG, UPEK Inc., Wireless Dynamics, Inc., and Wireless Payment Services LP. In addition, Auto-ID Labs ETH Zurich/St. Gallen, Industrial Technology Research Institute, ITSO Ltd, Transport for London, and WIMA Monaco Mediax join as Non-Profit members.

"We are very excited about the strong increase in membership of the NFC Forum," said Gerhard Romen, chairman of the NFC Forum Marketing Committee. "It reflects the growing commercial interest in NFC technology, it underscores the leadership role of the NFC Forum in fostering the commercial adoption of NFC technology, and it brings new perspectives and energy to the NFC ecosystem, which thrives on collaboration. For all of these reasons, we are delighted to welcome our new members to the Forum."

The new NFC Forum members join a prestigious group of major players in their respective industries, including Sponsor-level members HP, MasterCard International, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Panasonic, Renesas Technology, Samsung, Sony Corporation, and Visa International.

Near Field Communication is a short-range, wireless connectivity technology that allows consumers to perform safe, contactless transactions, access digital content, and connect electronic devices with the simplicity of a single touch. Consumers with NFC-enabled mobile phones may, for example, leave their wallets at home and use their phones to enact contactless financial transactions, or to gain electronic access to public transportation.

In addition to its ongoing work via email and conference calls, the Forum holds quarterly working face-to-face meetings of Forum members to discuss NFC initiatives and address specifications under development. The next meeting will take place in Tokyo, from October 1-5, 2007.

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 among 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, 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 130+ 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, MasterCard International, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Panasonic, Renesas Technology, Samsung, Sony Corporation, and Visa International.