SmartCity smart card issuers will soon have contactless option
16 March, 2005
category: Biometrics, Contactless, Education, Financial
The multi-application smart card system, SmartCity, has announced plans to incorporate two leading contactless technologies into the offering. Provided by Ireland-based SmartCentric, the system currently deployed in universities, military, government agencies, and more will begin porting applications to DESFire and iClass.
SmartCity® multi-application system goes contactless
SmartCentric, the market leaders for over 11 years in contact smart card solutions, today announced they will support DESFire and iClass RFID technologies. The company will initially offer these platforms to customers for physical and logical access, and plans to offer the remaining applications over the coming months. The existing contact system will continue as at present.
The move to contactless technology expands the flexibility and choice within the SmartCity® system and will offer SmartCity® system managers the option to chose which applications within their system they wish to operate using their technology of choice.
SmartCity® has been a global leader in the smart card market since the first installation of the multi-application system in 1994. SmartCity® systems are in use in over 90 installations worldwide in the campus, banking, security and car parking areas. The vast experience of the SmartCity® team combined with the extensive IPR libraries allows SmartCentric the ability to easily port applications to contactless cards.
Existing SmartCity® customers may choose to continue using their contact system, or they may migrate their entire system or specific applications, such as physical or logical access, to contactless over time.
Security has been a core part of the SmartCity® system since its inception and in recent years this has been expanded to form the SmartCity® Security Solutions Suite. Contactless card technology will allow the users faster physical or logical access, which further speeds the process and increases the ease of use for cardholders.
The system may be further enhanced by including the use of a biometric where necessary. The user must then present their card plus their biometric to gain and retain access.
Kieran Timmins, CEO of SmartCentric explains: “The addition of DESFire and iClass technology to the system speeds up access and also ensures that the SmartCity® system is moving with current market trends. There is a growing trend towards contactless technology, and SmartCentric is keen to ensure that our systems remain ahead of market demand at all times. SmartCentric’s main focus is always our individual customers and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure that any change to the contactless platform will be as smooth as possible.”
For further information please visit us on www.smartcentric.com.
About SmartCentric Technologies International Limited
SmartCentric Technologies International is a specialist technology company focused on secure payments and transactions and multi-application smart card systems. SmartCentric’s flagship product, SmartCity®, was originally developed by the SmartCentric team in the early 1990’s. SmartCity® is a Multi-Application Smart Card based system which has many wide-ranging uses, such as stored value, loyalty, gift cards, logical access, physical access, biometrics, car parking and ticketing. SmartCity® is based on international standards and works with top industry partners to ensure unique, top class solutions.
SmartCity® has been used in over 90 sites worldwide with over 5 million cards issued in sites as diverse as colleges, government offices, military establishments, banks, towns, shopping areas and stadiums.
