PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., Feb. 24, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the availability of NFC-enabled handsets expected to grow 50 percent¹ and more acceptance terminals on their way, will 2014 be the year NFC technology reaches mass adoption in the U.S.? Join the industry in the discussion and share your ideas on making the answer "yes" by submitting a proposal to speak at the 2014 NFC Solutions Summit, the leading American showcase for NFC technology.

The Smart Card Alliance is accepting proposals through March 10, 2014. To submit your proposal, please visit http://NFCSolutionsSummit.com/speaking/.

"Often we hear the question 'what will be the killer app for NFC?' Today we have more possibilities than ever with advances like HCE making it easier to deliver consumer-friendly NFC services, while at the same time NFC-enabled handset availability is set to grow dramatically and millions of NFC acceptance terminals will be installed as part of the move to EMV chip payments," said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. "With these barriers removed, this year's NFC Solutions Summit speakers should focus on the discussions, innovations, applications and technologies that can drive NFC usage."

The NFC Solutions Summit, hosted by the Smart Card Alliance in partnership with NFC Forum and NFC World Congress, will be held June 3-4 at the Renaissance Arboretum Hotel in Austin. The Summit will provide an opportunity for executives to collaborate on ways to make mobile NFC 'tap and go' transactions a part of consumers' daily lives with applications like:

• Reading information and "picking up" special offers, coupons and discounts from smart posters or smart billboards
• Storing tickets for transportation, parking access or events
• Storing personal information that will allow secure building access
• Making payments at contactless in-store terminals

Speaker presentations should involve the issuance and usage of NFC technology in any of the following categories:

• Standards and Technology: smartphones and devices; NFC system architectures; standards for Trusted Service Manager (TSM); international standards and security specifications
• Security and Applications Management: security architectures for NFC; bank card payments application security; secure identity applications with NFC devices; NFC secure element architectures; implementation of secure applications using HCE; NFC application download and management
• Implementation and Applications: financial service applications; identity and security applications; smart posters and tags; ticketing and fare collection applications; mobile offers and coupon applications; other innovative NFC applications
• Market Drivers and Business Models: use cases for NFC; reports on commercial services and pilots; challenges and opportunities for financial institutions; NFC services based on data transfer and peer to peer NFC modes; NFC business partnership opportunities and challenges

More information on the 2014 NFC Solutions Summit can be found at http://NFCSolutionsSummit.com. For more information on NFC technology, visit the Smart Card Alliance NFC Resources page, NFC FAQ, NFC video series page or the multimedia page.

About the Smart Card Alliance

The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread application of smart card technology.

Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For more information please visit http://www.smartcardalliance.org.

¹According to IHS Technology