SmartCity® multi-application system goes contactless

SmartCentric Technologies International Ltd (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 choose 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.”