Worldwide, the focus on and deployment of contactless technologies continues to grow. Take for example:

• Security-focused programs such as that in place at the Hamburg Airport,
• Multi-application programs such as those at the two educational institutions profiled in this issue,
• Financial card offerings such as those by MasterCard, American Express, and JCB, and
• Transit fare collection launches in cities around the globe.

As an industry, we tend to focus on actual projects like these to judge our successes. But as any successful salesperson will attest, your pipeline is just as important as your current installations. So what does the pipeline look like for contactless technology? Based on my personal observations as editor of this publication, I’d say the pipeline is full.

I say this because of the astounding growth in our subscriber base. Education is a first step in a technology buying decision, and ContactlessNews is viewed by many industry observers as the primary source for education on contactless technology as it relates to personal identification.

In the past year, more than 2500 individuals in search of news and information on the topic have joined our readership–and an additional 3000 readers receive the issue each month. We mail to more than 40 countries, with distribution split evenly between Europe, North America, and Pacific Rim. New partnerships with some of the world’s leading card technology and transit associations have further expanded our reach. And all these people are willing to invest their time and resources because they see the potential for the utilization of contactless technology in their own sphere of influence. In short, they have joined the pipeline. To our established readers, thank you for the ongoing support. And to all of the newcomers, welcome aboard.

Chris Corum, Editor
chris@AVISIAN.com