Aria Wireless Systems Inc. has established a private digital data network to provide wireless transmission for automated teller machines and point-of-sale and other transaction-intensive terminals.
The private data network will go live next month in Boston, Detroit, Washington, and Chicago. Coverage is expected to expand to the rest of the country throughout the year.
"This technology replaces local telephone company leased lines with a more economical, reliable, and secure data link," said Allan Scot, Aria's vice president of marketing.
"The network will allow financial and retail institutions to have rapid access to processing centers ... at a reduced cost."
Wireless technology provides virtually instantaneous connections and the ability to send multiple transactions concurrently with no noticeable delay to users.
Banco Nacional de Mexico, the largest financial institution in that country, is already using Aria's wireless system as a replacement for land lines.
"One of the key benefits of using wireless technology is the economics provided by the rapid installation time and improved ability of the network," said Francisco Rodriguez Ortega, manager of communications engineering at Banamex.
"In Mexico, the standard delivery time to install private telephones can be as long as six months, compared to a few hours for wireless node installation."
The bank has seen a reduction in ATM downtime improve from 5% to 1% since the installation of the wireless network.
"With the wireless network, we have obtained significantly better response times to service requests than where available from the telephone company," said Mr. Rodriguez Ortega.
The bank has also not a had a problem with the fading or interference that is sometimes a problem with wireless communication links.
