CES 2007: VeriSign offers mobile Coke payments

VeriSign, the folks that tend to secure your internet checkouts, announced a deal to enable purchases at Coca-Cola vending machines via mobile phones in Austria. Now, over two million mobilkom austria and ONE wireless customers have access to the mobile payment function at vending machines across Austria.

VeriSign developed the technical interface between Coca-Cola machines, cellular operators and the payment system for the more than 100 beverage vending machines around Austria enabled for mobile payment.

According to the Yankee Group, the global revenue for off-deck mobile payment transactions will increase by more than 100% from 2005 to 2009, while the user base will expand from 65.5 million to 178.8 million. Paying via mobile phone has already achieved some success in Europe and Asia as mobile devices become more powerful and consumers use electronic payments for more transactions.

So how long before you will buy a Coke with your cellphone? Or even a car?

Read [VeriSign]