In 2012, London will become the first city where domestic and international consumers may access an entire transportation network using open-loop, network-branded contactless credit or debit cards, the Transport for London announced Feb. 24.
London’s transit agency in October announced its goal for network-branded contactless card acceptance in hopes that by 2012 such cards-even those issued in other countries–would support access to its transportation services, (
The transit operator now believes that a complete rollout in London of contactless transportation access will be finished in 2012.
Transport for London is upgrading the software used in its Oyster smart card payment system to recognize contactless Visa Inc., MasterCard Worldwide and American Express Co. credit and debit cards, the transit operator noted in a news release.
The upgraded software will enable consumers using credit or debit cards with contactless technology to tap their cards to pay for travel by bus, tube, tram, Docklands light rail and the London Overground Network, which is a suburban network of rail services.
Cardholders will be charged directly from their debit or credit card account. When the upgrades are fully complete, the technology will work even if a bank based in another country issues the card.
The transit operator plans to get the new system operational on all of London’s 8,000 buses in time for the 2012 Olympics. It also is working with train-operating companies to implement contactless payment technology at national rail services where Oyster is accepted.
New York City also has been testing open-loop contactless card acceptance (
Patricia Imbro, senior planning manager for the new fare planning system at the city’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, tells PaymentsSource the agency soon plans to release a “concept of operations” in hopes of soliciting feedback from various affected parties as it works to move forward with the initiative on a full scale.
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