Touchlink, a plug-in for the Smart Technology Solutions (STS) SmartNS framework, offers all retailers and banks a versatile platform for the introduction of contactless payment schemes.
More importantly, the solution also supports EMV contactless payments. Touchlink offers merchants a simple path to upgrade to this new form of contactless payment, providing a cost-effective approach, independent of hardware.
The innovative technology has the ability to use inexpensive thin-client hardware readers and will initially support ViVOtech’s ViVOpay 5000 EMV contactless reader, with new hardware vendors supported by Christmas 2007.
Contactless payment technology provides a secure payment mechanism using wireless communication technology. By the end of 2008, Apacs, the UK’s payments association, estimates that five million contactless cards will be in circulation.
Looking forward, Touchlink also caters for the introduction of further smart card applications in the future, such as contactless loyalty applications and gift card applications.
Cameron Olsen, vice president of business development at STS, commented: The arrival of Touchlink is an opportunity for retailers and banks to take advantage of their EMV technology to enhance their business performance and customer satisfaction with only a modest investment. We anticipate considerable take-up of the technology by the UK’s retailers through the course of 2007 and beyond.
