ISIS Mobile Wallet now available for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile customers

Service requires compatible phone, enhanced SIM, ISIS app and participating store

ISIS Mobile Wallet, a competing service to Google Wallet backed by three major carriers, has finally made its official launch in the U.S. Customers with compatible phones and specific SIM cards on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile can now download the ISIS Mobile Wallet app and get started with mobile payments.

At a time when Google Wallet is pushing away from needing any specific carrier or even a secure element in the phone, ISIS requires quite a few hoops to get started. First up you'll need to be on one of the three aforementioned carriers, and that's it. Next, you'll need a compatible phone, which in every case is a subset of carrier-branded phones currently offered. You'll also need a so-called "enhanced SIM," which carries a secure element required for the transacation. Lastly, you'll need the specific ISIS Mobile Wallet app for your carrier — although they look identical, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile each have their own app in Google Play:

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ISIS has also partnered with a specific set of banks (now sans Capital One) that give the best experience with the payment processor, but luckily you can also add any back account manually if you'd prefer. And once you're set up and ready to pay, you'll have to go to a retailer that has signed on with ISIS to have the proper terminal ready as well. ISIS provides a map to look up retailers, and in our area it looks like its basically limited to carrier stores (of course), some drug stores and random merchants we've never heard of.

If you're interested in giving ISIS a try, hit the break for a full list of compatible devices on each carrier.

Source: AT&T (PRNewswire); ISIS