NFC: Near Field Communication; a communication technology similar to Wifi-lite, that might be existing in your smartphones and could soon be a feature used in our day to day lifestyle.
The technology is simple: it’s a short range, low power wireless link evolved from radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that can transfer small amounts of data between two devices by touching them or bringing them in close proximity usually not more than a few centimeters.
In other words, just a click of an NFC capable smartphone on the right tag can launch an app or map and can share documents and photos. Most importantly, it can be used to program one tag with a certain set of instructions that can launch specific applications when read by another NFC enabled device.
How it Works:
Both the communication technologies, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi works nearly in the same ways the Near Field Communication at the surface. All three of them allow wireless communication and data exchange between digital devices like smartphones. The near field communication utilizes electromagnetic radio fields whereas technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi focus on radio transmissions. Unlike Bluetooth, no pairing code is needed, and because of utilizing very low power, no battery in the device being utilized.
Three forms of NFC technology exist: Type A, Type B, and FeliCa. All of them are similar but they communicate in slightly different ways. FeliCa is commonly found in Japan.
Devices using NFC may be active or passive. A passive device, such as an NFC tag, contains information that other devices can read but does not read any information itself. Think of a passive device as a sign on a wall. Others can read the information, but the sign itself does nothing except transmit the info to the authorized devices. Active devices can read information and send it. An active NFC device, like a smartphone, would be able to collect information from NFC tags and also be able to exchange information with other compatible smartphones or devices and could even alter the information on the NFC tag if authorized to make such changes.
To ensure security uses encryption when sending over sensitive information such as credit card numbers and hence often establishes a secure channel. Users can further protect their private data by keeping anti-virus software on their smartphones and adding a password to the phone so that it’s protected even in the event of stolen or lost case.
Comparison with Bluetooth:
Aspect
|
NFC
|
Bluetooth
|
Bluetooth Low Energy
|
RFID Compatible
|
ISO 18000-3
|
Active
|
Active
|
Standardisation Body
|
ISO/IEC
|
Bluetooth SIG
|
Bluetooth SIG
|
Network Standard
|
ISO 13157 etc
|
IEEE 802.15.1
|
IEEE 802.15.1
|
Network Type
|
Point to Point
|
WPAN
|
WPAN
|
Cryptography
|
Not with RFID
|
Available
|
Available
|
Range
|
<0.2m
|
~100m (class1)
|
~50m
|
Frequency
|
13.56 Mhz
|
2.4-2.5 Ghz
|
2.4-2.5 Ghz
|
Bit Rate
|
424 kbit/s
|
2.1 Mbit/s
|
~1.0 Mbit/s
|
Set-up Time
|
<0.1s
|
<6s
|
<0.006s
|
Power Consumption
|
< 15 mA
|
Varies with class
|
<15 mA (read and transmit)
|
NFC and Bluetooth are both short-range communication technologies that are integrated into mobile phones. As described in technical detail above, NFC operates at slower speeds than Bluetooth, but consumes far less power and doesn’t require pairing.
NFC requires comparatively low power, similar to the Bluetooth V4.0 low energy protocol. However, the NFC power consumption is greater than that of Bluetooth V4.0 Low Energy, since illuminating the passive tag needs extra power.
So, how widely used is NFC today?
It’s the chicken or the egg causality dilemma. If it’s not on your device or you don’t use it even if it‘s there, then retailers have less incentive to add terminals.
But all the big credit card players are trying to implement NFC, to one degree or the other. That includes Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. And throw in all of the major mobile players too: AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, and Sprint. And Google too, with its Google Wallet.
That said, NFC is caught in the usual standards battles, and it could take years to decide a winner and/or deploy an infrastructure that supports multiple standards.
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