Nov 21,2006__A mobile phone association is trying to establish a global standard for near field communication (NFC).

The GSM Association (GSMA), which represents over 80 per cent of the planet's mobile phone users, has said that adding such technology would only represent a modest cost.

To be embedded in a handset along with an RFID chip, the NFC software would allow mobile users access to a host of new capabilities.

A GSMA spokesman told ZDNet UK: "You could have it as a key for your car ¡ª it would recognise who you are, open the car door, put the right music on the stereo, that kind of stuff."

Another example given by the spokesman was the ability of the user to download a concert ticket, which could then be scanned by an RFID reader at the concert venue.

NFC was jointly developed by Sony and Philips and was approved as an ISO/IEC standard in 2003.

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