220-1101 Question 86
Single answerNFCA technician is helping deploy Android phones to a sales team. Users need to tap their phones against wireless payment terminals and door-access readers at very close range. One user says the phone can pair with Bluetooth headsets but cannot complete tap-to-pay or tap-to-badge functions. Which action should the technician take FIRST?
- A
Enable NFC in the phone's connection settings
- B
Increase the Bluetooth transmit power on the phone
- C
Connect the phone to the reader's Wi-Fi network
- D
Replace the phone's cellular SIM card with a newer model
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best first step is to confirm that NFC is enabled. In A+ Core 1, candidates are expected to distinguish among wireless technologies and apply the correct one to a practical scenario. NFC is designed for very short-range communication, typically a few centimeters, and is commonly used for contactless payments, badge access, and quick device interactions. Bluetooth can be used alongside NFC in some pairing workflows, but successful Bluetooth operation does not prove NFC is enabled or working. Best practice in mobile-device troubleshooting is to verify the required feature is turned on before investigating more complex causes. This aligns with standard vendor documentation from Android device manufacturers and payment platform support resources, which commonly list checking the NFC setting as an initial troubleshooting step.
- A. Correct.
Correct. NFC is the short-range wireless technology used for tap-to-pay, access badges, and similar close-proximity transactions. If Bluetooth pairing works but tap-based functions do not, the first troubleshooting step is to verify that NFC is enabled in the device settings. This is a common real-world issue because Bluetooth and NFC are separate radios with different purposes.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Bluetooth transmit power affects Bluetooth communication, such as pairing with headsets or speakers, but it does not control NFC transactions. A user might choose this because both are wireless technologies, but NFC operates independently and at a much shorter range.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. NFC readers used for payments or badge access do not require the phone to join a Wi-Fi network for the tap itself. Someone might choose this option if they confuse general network connectivity with near-field communication, but NFC exchanges data directly at close range.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The SIM card is related to cellular service and subscriber identity, not the phone's NFC radio function. Although some mobile-wallet deployments can involve carrier or account provisioning, replacing the SIM is not the first step when basic NFC tap functionality is failing.