SINGAPORE -- The Philippines is an ideal market for mobile phone-based applications that run on near-field communications or NFC, according to NCR executives interviewed by INQUIRER.net.

NFC is a short-range wireless technology that allows data exchange between devices about 10 centimeters apart, a lot similar to Bluetooth but runs on a different frequency.

During product demonstrations here, NCR showed a solution that allows NFC-enabled handsets to connect with automated teller machines or ATMs. Similarly, the technology also allows handsets to do mobile payments.

Nikhil Mhapankar, NCR regional marketing manager for software and security, said the Philippines is an ideal market for such consumer-based applications because of high SMS (short messaging system) usage.

Local operators Smart and Globe already carry existing "electronic wallet" services that allow users to perform such transactions. What NFC brings is a lot more functionality and usage models for different industries.

"It can be your ATM card, your train ticket, your club membership card and you can download your hotel room key to your phone," Mhapankar said.

Stephen Reade, NCR's vice president for global e-commerce, payments and mobility, believes standards around NFC are being put in place and phone makers will be coming out with NFC-enabled handsets soon.

"A lot of industry players like Nokia and Samsung have announced NFC-based handsets but they are not in volume production now," he said.

Reade believes NFC will have its niche on consumer applications while radio frequency ID or RFID will address more requirements from industries like retail and distribution.