Xeres,
Diebold is #1 maker of ATM machines in the world. They also make sercurity products for hospitals (automatic perscription dispensers).
This is a press release describing Diebold and smartcards.
OLYMPIC SPECTATORS TO USE SMART CARDS FOR FOOD, SOUVENIRS
NORTH CANTON, Ohio -- The majority of those attending the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Ga., will use smart cards
and cash from automated teller machines (ATMs) to pay for purchases of food, souvenirs and other items, according to an
informal survey on preferred methods of payment conducted by Diebold, Incorporated.
The survey, conducted through the Internet on Diebold's World Wide Web site, indicated that the Olympics will be the first
opportunity many people in the United States will have to use smart cards, which store monetary value on a computer chip
within the card. Diebold stored-value card terminals have been installed at thousands of retail locations in the Atlanta area,
through the VISA Cash program, allowing merchants to accept smart cards like cash. Most of the ATMs in the Atlanta area
have been upgraded with smart card readers to allow for consumers to reload cash value onto their smart cards.
"It is the largest card program of its kind to date in the United States," said Reinoud G.J. Drenth, vice president of worldwide marketing for Diebold. "Stored-value card transactions offer more convenience because they take less than one-quarter of the time required compared to other types of payment methods."
More than half of the respondents said they will use smart cards at the Olympics, and approximately two-thirds of those who
plan on using the stored-value cards said they will use them to purchase food and souvenirs. Others said they would use the
cards for tickets, drinks, phone service and other purchases.
Diebold played a key role in the introduction of two National Football League teams' stored-value smart card programs. First
Union and the Jacksonville Jaguars introduced a Diebold smart card-based payment system for the team's new home,
Jacksonville Stadium, in 1995. Diebold also helped NationsBank and the Carolina Panthers establish the FANCash program
for the Panthers' 1996-97 inaugural season at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Diebold, Incorporated, (NYSE:DBD) headquartered in Canton, Ohio, is a world leader in providing card-based transaction
systems, security and service solutions to the financial, education and healthcare industries. Founded in 1859 as a security equipment company, Diebold currently provides integrated solutions incorporating its automated teller machines, electronic and physical security systems, electronic payment systems, professional services and software. |
