As part of the continuing evolution of the credit card industry, Bank of America employees in Wilmington will be testing cell phones that can be used as payment devices.

Starting next week, the employees will be using the cell phones within the bank’s downtown Wilmington offices at vending machines and at an internal convenience store and in the cafeteria, spokeswoman Betsy Weinberger said today. She said the bank expects as many as 500 Wilmington employees will take part in the cell phone payment trial, which will last six to eight months. Users can make payments simply by waving their phones in front of specially equipped readers.

Bank of America, like rivals, including the Wilmington-based credit card unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co., are only testing the potential of using cell phones as payment devices in the United States. No credit card-issuing bank has plans to roll out cell phone payment devices on a large scale here, although they are used that way in other countries.

However, both Bank of America and Chase already issue credit cards that rely on similar “contactless” radio-frequency technology that allows users to pay by simply waving their cards in front of readers. No swiping or signature is required for these cards, which can be used in convenience stores, fast-food restaurants and sports stadiums. The banks are pushing use of contactless cards and devices, including cell phones and key fobs, as a way of capturing more purchases under $15.

U.S. consumer purchases of less than $15 represent more than $1 trillion in annual spending, but consumers use cards for less than 1 percent of that amount, according to Visa.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America became Delaware’s largest private employer on Jan. 1 when it acquired Wilmington-based credit card giant MBNA Corp. Bank of America has about 10,000 Delaware workers, most of whom are involved in the bank’s Wilmington-based credit card unit.