Local authorities may soon start replacing bus cards with
multipurpose smartcards following agreement on a new specification
by technical working groups.
The Local Authority Smartcard Standards e-Organisation (Lasseo)
and the Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation (Itso) have
agreed to replace the
Mifare 4K
card, which is used by more than 90% of local authorities, with a
more secure
Desfire
card, according to a report on the
Kable website.
The local authorities Smart Card Networking Forum (SCNF) said
the Desfire card was more secure, had 4Kbyte or 8Kbyte of storage
and extra security features. Both cards use Philips technology.
The new application specification included basic cardholder
information, cash collection, parking, identity, e-purse and
entitlement.
Kevin Farquharson, co-chair of the SCNF, said roll-out of the
new cards would probably start next year, and that it could take
five years to renew the whole system.