Contactless Intelligence is premiering a series of roundtables, titled ‘Contactless Britannia’. The first edition, taking place in London on October 14th at the Urban Innovation Centre, is supported by Creditcall, NXP, and Samsung.

The roundtables bring together local authorities, BID (Business Improvement Districts) representatives and international experts from the contactlesss technology sector. Participants will discover the needs and requirements from regional economic leaders, as well as transportation and retail executives, while also learning about successful contactless technology implementations in different regions of the UK. Contactless Intelligence is looking to create dialogue on successful collaborations – across applications, across regions and across technologies.Technology experts will share their solutions and roadmaps for real contactless technology implementations and the considerations that go hand-in- hand in using them in unlocking sustainable urban renewal and economic growth.

“Parking payments. Chuggers.Way-finding. Integrated public transport ticketing. Mobile payments. Interpretive signage. What do these have in common? They all happen in town and city centres. Contactless Britannia is a one-day event where place managers can have their say,” said Guy Douglas, Connected Places UK.

Key presentations and discussion templates at Contactless Britannia will come from such industry influencers as;
•    The UK Cards Association
•    NXP
•    Creditcall
•    Helixion
•    Samsung
•    Penny For London

Key Topics will include;
•    Public Transportation
•    Smart Mobility
•    Unattended & Parking
•    Mobile Payments and Marketing
•    Charity Collections

Economic growth through the right use of contactless and mobile technology

The most obvious example of the use of contactless technology used in conjunction with a public infrastructure can be found in the nation’s capital, London.Transport for London has provided its citizens and guests alike with the ultimate experience: An intelligent infrastructure that makes the best use of the technology that powers it. Beyond transport, most large retailers accept contactless and mobile payment, while charities, marketers and other sectors are utilising this technology to turn change into cash and creating real economic growth. The devolution of power from Whitehall to individual cities is a key project of the Conservative government. Much has been made of the need for increased economic growth from out-of-town opportunities and the redevelopment of urban centres outside of the country’s capital. Increased economic expansion calls for growth through interconnected trade and transportation, local and visitor footfall and an urgent call to extend infrastructure in terms of technology and the understanding of how to successfully implement it.

“Business Improvement Districts are enhancing the customer experience by connecting people to town and city centres using the contactless technologies and applications now emerging into the mainstream. Contactless engagement is the next step in supporting small businesses within BIDs by increasing spend and creating a seamless consumer experience,” commented Mark Ross, BID Programme Manager with the Association of Town & City Management.

A number of interested BIDs will be present to discuss and learn how to make the synergy between technology and place work best for their areas. BIDs from cities such as Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Bristol, Norwich, Winchester and Cambridge will be represented at the meeting, along with their colleagues in tourism and town and city planning and management.
“The purpose of Contactless Britannia is to hear from the place managers what their biggest challenges are and how technology can help. At Contactless Intelligence, we want to use our extensive network to facilitate meaningful debate and work towards real collaboration by tackling core topics. Even to people who work in the tech industry, it is not clear what technology to back when planning a communal or regional project based on contactless and mobile technology,” said Steve Atkins, Editor-in-Chief of Contactless Intelligence and CEO of Krowne Communications  “Contactless Britannia is the first event of its kind to connect those responsible for managing town and city centres and the key technology players, both of whom want to enhance the High Street customer experience.”

Further information can be found at the Contactless Intelligence site here