Identity, Security, Payments, Biometrics, Smart Cards and Authentication News

Homeowners association goes with smart cards

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Conejo Homeowners Association in California has chosen Absolute Security & Technologies Inc. to rollout a new security system, including smart card access combined with video surveillance. DigiOn24 is supplying the contactless cards for the project. The new security system will be implemented over the next few months.

The traditional lock and key system was difficult to manage as homeowners moved out or duplicated keys for others. This lead to vandalism and excessive use of the common areas and additional costs for the homeowner’s association.


The association is going with a contactless Mifare-based cards. The cards along with the Brivo remote management system will be able to provide an access record of who used the card, when they used it along with photographic evidence and video surveillance.

The contactless Mifare smart cards and readers will be provided by DigiOn24 and issued by AS&T as part of the overall security system. AS&T selected to work with DigiOn24 because of the company’s ability to customize the solution and make it compatible with the Brivo remote management system.

There are over 1,000 homes in the association and each household will receive two Mifare cards; more will be handed out to maintenance crew and service companies, plus additional cards for reserves. The system will also track after-hour usage at the pool and frequency of service provided by gardeners, pool maintenance crew and others. [end] 

Global Industry Analysts Inc. released a report forecasting the outlook on the global smart card market to reach 10.9 billion units by 2015.

GIA credits the growth driven largely by major initiatives in the financial, government and security sectors, with the telecom sector at the way ahead of the pack as the largest end-user. Increasing usage of contactless technology, newer applications and mandatory EMV migration across countries are also major drivers boosting the global market for smart cards.

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India is emerging as one of the world’s fastest growing smart card markets, according to a new research report by RNCOS. With more than one billion in population and increasing modern application areas, India is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 15% during 2011-2014.

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The SD Association has announced a new collaboration with GlobalPlatform to include smart-chip technology in SD standards, enabling mobile phones and other portable CE devices to provide authentication services with SD memory cards.

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India transport operator Ahmedabad Janmarg Ltd. has launched a smart transit card for commuters traveling on the region’s bus system, according to ISO&Agent.

The agency began a six-month trial and August 2010 followed by a soft and silent launch in January 2012. The card is available now for a nonrefundable fee of 25 rupees ($.50 US cents) and allows commuters to travel for up to 100 minutes on one bus, for the minimum fare.

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Prisoners at Tihar prisons, located near New Delhi, India, will now be using smart cards instead of paper coupons for their food purchases.

As reported by The Economic Times, the former system of paper food coupons led to misuse and illegal activity within the jail. Some prisoners would use it for currency in order to get banned substances or buy favors from others.

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In an effort to reduce fraud, the Association of Banks in Singapor announced that it has set guidelines regarding the implementation of smart chips in ATM cards in Singapore.

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