The state of the deployment of Google Wallet, along with the use of NFC on smartphones in general, is a total mess at the moment. Rather than making it easy for owners of compatible phones to use the software they’d like, as they’d like to, carriers and the financial institutions they’re in bed with are treating the arrival of mobile payments over NFC as something they must find a way to monetize at all costs, your wishes be damned. We’ve seen this struggle manifest most recently with the release of the Galaxy Nexus, where’s there’s no reason you shouldn’t be rocking Google Wallet on your phone, besides the fact that Verizon doesn’t want you to. Sure, there are work-arounds, but you really shouldn’t be forced to jump through such hoops in the first place. Luckily, it seems that at least some carriers may be interested in giving subscribers what they want, as the Android Market is now allowing Google Wallet installs on HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus handsets equipped with an AT&T SIM.

While imported Galaxy Nexus handsets running on AT&T didn’t used to give you the option to install Wallet from the Market, it now shows-up as an approved device. We’re not sure just what brought Google to make the adjustment, but it could be a sign that AT&T is planning on not being a jerk about mobile payments. Verizon, at least, still seems stuck in its ways for the time being.

Source: Droid-life