New smart card technology will boost demand in the access control sector across Europe, with a forecast annual growth rate of 7.6 per cent, according to a recent report.

The report, from IMS Research, says the European market for electronic access control equipment will reach 390.8 million Euro in 2009, and predicts that the ISO 14443A + B will become the dominant smart card format.

It suggests that 13.56MHz smart card proximity readers will be the best growth opportunity in the electronic physical access control market.

Analyst Paul Everett said that although there had been much recent speculation about biometric technologies, the impact of smart cards on the access control industry involved less speculation.

鈥�13.56MHz proximity technology offers a number of capabilities above the traditional 125kHz technology,鈥� he said.

鈥淔or example, companies can combine access control and payment systems on one card, enabling employees to use the same card to get into a building or pay for their lunch.鈥�

The preferred smart card format is a subject of much debate in Europe at present, with ISO 14443A + B (including Mifare) facing competition from Legic and iClass for the number one position.

The IMS report forecasts that by 2009 ISO 14443A + B readers will account for the largest proportion of smart card reader shipments in the industry, with 48.3 per cent of the market.

鈥淭he product mix varies considerably from country to country,鈥� Everett said. 鈥淟egic is the preferred technology in Germany and ISO 14443A + B is dominant in the Benelux region, through its strong links to Philips.

鈥淚SO 14443A + B boasts the largest installed base in Europe, and rival technologies will find it hard to compete, as unlike its competitors, it as an open standard.鈥�

Source

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