Market watcher Juniper research has predicted that over 50 million consumers will pay for small items using mobile phones and other physical mobile payment methods by the year 2011.

The research also found that by 2011 around 12% of all mobile phones in circulation will include near field communication (NFC) capabilities, the technology that enables a chip in the phone to communicate with readers positioned in retailers and other outlets.

The surge in the use of NFC and other physical payment methods, including RFID, will offer consumers an alternative to using cash or credit and debit cards, and is expected to help drive the mobile payment market to $11.5 billion by 2011.