Which term is a standard for two-way radio communications over very short distances, facilitating contactless payments and similar technologies?

Which term is a standard for two-way radio communications over very short distances, facilitating contactless payments and similar technologies?

• A. TLS
• B. Ad hoc network
• C. GPS
• D. Near-field communication (NFC)

Answer: (D)

Near-field communication is designed for close-range wireless exchanges, enabling devices to talk when they are held very near each other—usually a few centimeters apart. This makes it ideal for contactless payments and similar technologies, because a quick tap or wave of a phone or card can initiate a secure data transfer to a payment terminal. NFC operates at 13.56 MHz and supports modes for reader/writer, card emulation, and peer-to-peer, which covers the typical payment workflow where a device can act as a card or simply exchange payment data with a terminal. The other options don’t fit this scenario: TLS is a security protocol for encrypting data in transit across networks, not a short-range radio standard; an ad hoc network describes a flexible network topology rather than a specific short-range communication standard; GPS is a satellite-based navigation system, not a communication protocol.

Near-field communication is designed for close-range wireless exchanges, enabling devices to talk when they are held very near each other—usually a few centimeters apart. This makes it ideal for contactless payments and similar technologies, because a quick tap or wave of a phone or card can initiate a secure data transfer to a payment terminal. NFC operates at 13.56 MHz and supports modes for reader/writer, card emulation, and peer-to-peer, which covers the typical payment workflow where a device can act as a card or simply exchange payment data with a terminal. The other options don’t fit this scenario: TLS is a security protocol for encrypting data in transit across networks, not a short-range radio standard; an ad hoc network describes a flexible network topology rather than a specific short-range communication standard; GPS is a satellite-based navigation system, not a communication protocol.