Samsung Bringing Ticketless Technology to UK Music Events

The majority of NFC talk has centered on mobile payments or contactless payments. In reality, Near Field Communication is capable of an awful lot more. Samsung today announced plans to utilize NFC and RFID to cut down on paper tickets at music events across the UK this summer.

The first concert to get the electronic ticket treatment will be the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Knebworth this Saturday. Attendees will be given RFID wristbands instead of tickets.

"We're delighted to announce our involvement in the first roll out of ticketless technology this country has seen," said Simon Stanford, the vice president of Telecommunications & Networks Division at Samsung UK and Ireland. "In future, everyone will be able to use their mobile phone as their ticket, whether they are music fans going to a gig, or a commuters traveling to work.

Aside from the wristbands acting as tickets, they can also be used to enter contests and the wearer can visit the Samsung stand and use their wristband to check in on Facebook or Twitter.

In addition to this RFID effort, Digital Spy reports that Samsung is working on implementing NFC to allow those with smartphone to access events. 

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  • LukeCWM
    What's more damaging to the environment, cutting down trees and processing them into paper for tickets, or generating the extra electricity in power plants to compensate for the extra battery used for all of those smartphones being on? I honestly don't know.

    Along the same lines, I've heard that electric cars are no better for the environment than gasoline cars, it just moves the pollution out of the car and into the power plants.
    Reply
  • kittle
    Well 90% of the phones at the concert will be turned on anyway -- why not make good use of them?
    Reply
  • LukeCWM
    Turned on, yes. But in people's pockets at that point. But the battery required for screen time, and downloading the app, learning to use the app, etc. Maybe this is the more efficient way. But there are two sides to every story, and it would be interesting to hear a researched estimate on what the unseen cost is.

    That said, I'm all for technological advancement and convenience. And losing your ticket sucks too, which now shouldn't be an issue. =]
    Reply