Transport for London’s Oyster card system
uses radio frequency identification tags (RFID) to enable a
contactless ticketing system.
The smartcard network, launched in 2003, is run by the
TranSys consortium of
suppliers. EDS and Cubic Corporation are responsible for the day to
day to management of the system, while Fujitsu and WS Atkins are
shareholders with no active involvement in the system’s day-to-day
management.
The cards store passengers’ season ticket or pay-as-you-go
information. Passengers swipe them against readers each time they
use public transport in London – the cards act as an aerial and the
reader acts as a receiver.
Around 2.2 million people use the system every day, and there
are around 6 million cards in total.
In 2006 Barclaycard signed a three-year deal with TranSys to
enable its credit cards to be used as Oyster cards. The cards
handle payment for low-value transactions at retail outlets, as
well as performing the function of an Oyster card.
The system has experienced few problems. The biggest so far was
the four-hour failure of Oyster software early on a Saturday
morning in July 2008. Around 65,000 cards had to be replaced after
being corrupted by the fault.
A routine data download disabled the system in 2005, enabling
thousands to travel for free. Faulty data in a daily download which
is sent out across the system to
update smartcard readers caused the units to fail on March
10.
Transport for London introduced Oyster in London in 2003 and it
has been growing ever since. It now eligible for use on
all underground train journeys, all bus journeys and some national
rail journeys.
Despite some technical problems -
the Oyster card system was down on Saturday 12 July - the
system has been a big success for both passengers and the transport
system administrators Transport for London.
Oyster card woes - stories of Oyster card system
failure
London's Oyster system hit by failure
Dutch researchers break security of London's Oyster
Information Commissioner slams Transport for London for collecting
child data
Oyster card system clams up
Oyster card network crashes
Oyster card security concerns due to RFID hack
Oyster card - new developments
Transport for London trails Oyster mobile phones
Oyster on track for all London transport
Cash and Oyster card goes live
Oyster and Barclaycard launch e-money scheme
Barclaycard and Oyster to roll-out wave and pay
Oyster smartcard uses RFID technology
Oyster card shelves plans to extend smartcard functions
Before Oyster - how the new card came into
use
Contactless card trial gets wide approval
Smartcard could cut London transport queues on the tubes
London fare freeze to boost smartcard use
Seven make shortlist to Oyster cards into e-money
Credit card firm adds Chip and Pin and RFID technology
Oyster - useful weblinks
Wikipedia definition
for Oyster
Oyster