Highlights Secure and Rapid Validating and Processing of Debit/Credit Card Payments
SchlumbergerSema, a business segment of Schlumberger Limited, today announced
that it has integrated the CardEase™ universal payment protocol from CreditCall
Communications with the software in its Pay & Display (P&D) parking
terminals. This enables the machines to securely validate and process debit/credit
card payments via a radio network in a few seconds.
Meteor Parking, a UK parking management company, is using the first SchlumbergerSema
Stelio terminals to be equipped with the technology for the British Airports Authority
(BAA) in its visitors' car park at Heathrow airport. The system is less disruptive
and less expensive to install than telecommunications landlines, simply requiring
a modem in each machine to transmit data to the payment clearing house. The terminals
can handle cards issued by a number of different providers for optimum motorist
convenience.
"We have used Stelio P&D machines at Heathrow's Newall Road car park
for three years and they have proved to be reliable with excellent support from
SchlumbergerSema on the few occasions we have needed it," said John Read,
general manager of Meteor Parking. "Our experience at other airport sites
showed that the tariffs at Heathrow lend themselves to credit card payments, and
as SchlumbergerSema was in a position to install their first CreditEase-equipped
machines, we were happy to use them at this additional facility."
"This is another example of our ability to handle electronic transactions
in real-time in order to make life easier for travelers and transport operators
in general," said Arthur Crossley, UK sales manager, Parking, SchlumbergerSema.
Research conducted by Meteor shows that given the choice, up to 70% of drivers
prefer to use a card to pay for their parking. The low CreditCall processing charges
make the use of cards a viable proposition for transactions as small as 50p. This
provides an opportunity for the majority of parking operators to consider utilizing
card payment systems. It helps reduce administration, as well as the volumes of
cash to be handled and accounted for, saving the operators time and expense, while
also increasing security.
Existing SchlumbergerSema terminals can easily be transitioned to utilize the
CardEase system by adding or upgrading card readers and installing a modem in
each P&D. Operators with centralized control of their P&D installations
can use existing modems. Meteor is using the Mobitex radio network, as recommended
by SchlumbergerSema for its equipment in the U.K., to transmit data between the
P&D machines and CreditCall. This is via air-time provider, Transcomm plc.
SchlumbergerSema is the worldwide leader in on-street parking solutions with 60%
market share. Globally, its systems control over 2.6 million parking spaces in
more than 3,000 cities in 40 countries.
# # #
About SchlumbergerSema
SchlumbergerSema is one of two business segments of Schlumberger Limited, a global
technology services company. With more than 30,000 employees serving customers
in 65 countries, SchlumbergerSema aggregates IT consulting, systems integration,
managed services and related products to the oil and gas, telecommunications,
energy and utilities, finance, transport and public sector markets. Leveraging
the Schlumberger DeXa* Suite of Services, it also provides IP network connectivity,
information security solutions, distributed computing support services and data
center hosting services. In 2001, Schlumberger revenues were $13.7 billion. For
more information, visit www.slb.com
*Mark of Schlumberger.
CardEase is a trademark of Credit Call Communications.
# # #
For further information, contact:
Caroline Crouch
media relations manager
tel (44) 20 7830 4233
mobile (44) 7733 310 086
caroline.crouch@london.sema.slb.com
Terry Walsby
Terry Walsby Media Relations
Tel: +44 1628 639378
terry.walsby@virgin.net
