Universal RFID card and mobile credential readers enhance security for IP Parking

Universal RFID card and mobile credential readers are compatible with all major technologies used globally, ensuring customers can accommodate or change effortlessly.  

Requirements - A globally expanding European customer of ELATEC required RFID readers compatible with HID Prox and other transponder technologies used in the US, including NFC and Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) mobile credentials. In addition, these expanded capabilities had to be in the same compact form factor as their current ELATEC readers to eliminate any need for hardware modification.

Revenue control systems

Situation - IP Parking is a Dutch company founded in 2005 by owners with previous experience developing parking access and revenue control systems for hospitals, hotels, universities, airports, retail and more.

ELATEC is one of several companies supplying IP Parking with these MIFARE readers

With parking access and revenue control systems, an access component — a digital or machine-readable credential — is needed to give parkers access to the facilities. This typically is an RFID card. In Europe, it is primarily a MIFARE credential access card. ELATEC is one of several companies supplying IP Parking with these MIFARE readers. HID Prox credentials, ubiquitous in the US, are less common in Europe, and IP Parking needed a solution.

RFID transponder technologies

Challenge - As IP Parking expanded into the US, they had to accommodate the HID Prox requirement but had only MIFARE readers in their equipment.

“We initially purchased HID readers and connected them with serial converters to accommodate HID,” said Lester Mascon, president of IP Parking. “But after discussing with ELATEC, we learned that their MIFARE readers — the ones we currently were using — could also read HID and all other major RFID transponder technologies worldwide, including NFC. And another ELATEC reader model added Bluetooth® Low Energy capability for mobile credentials. All in the same form factor we were already using.”

Entire sales pitch

We suddenly got to put this incredible value add from the product into our equipment"

Solution - “With just a minor increase in price for the increased capabilities, we suddenly got to put this incredible value add from the product into our equipment,” continued Mascon.

“So, it’s changed our entire sales pitch to our customers. We no longer had to qualify which readers and cards they use in their organisation, which they frequently didn’t even know, and which became a sticking point in the sale.” According to Mascon, IP Parking’s value proposition became, "Listen, we’re putting in readers in your equipment that read every credential available out there, and we’re providing you hardware that's 100% futureproof. So, you may need to read HID today but may want to read this other technology tomorrow."

Key selling feature

And ever since, ELATEC reader capabilities have been a key selling feature of their products. ELATEC readers can be found in all IP Parking products, from validation terminals to pamphlet machines, entry exit devices, and after-hours readers.

“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our relationship with ELATEC — their product functionality, inventory availability, and ease of getting support — and we are confident ELATEC will stay on the innovation edge,” said Mascon. “They remain our partner for reader technology as a result.”