Global Payments Launches Mobile Payments, Access Platform for Campuses
A year after diving into the campus card vertical with the $4.3 billion acquisition of Heartland Payment Systems, Atlanta-based technology provider Global Payments has unveiled its new TouchNet OneCard VIP service, which the company describes as a single point of access to campus life. The cloud-based platform manages access to facilities, meal plans and recreational events, tracks student activity and attendance and validates campus credentials—all on a mobile device.
Mobile is the form factor of choice for college students, most of whom are digital natives heavily reliant on mobile devices, Global Payments noted. “Over 80 percent of students today use a smartphone,” said Global Payments President Ron Farmer. “OneCard VIP is leading the way in the transformation of campus ID systems from physical, plastic cards to digital, mobile credentials.” For school administrators, the platform offers real-time integration, transaction automation and centralized operations.
Global Payments made a major foray into the campus card vertical in late 2015, when the company reached a deal to acquire Heartland Payment Systems for $4.3 billion. That mega-deal, which closed in April 2016, also gave Global Payments a significant presence in the fuel card and hospitality sectors. Acquiring Heartland also enabled the company to provide integrated applications such as accounting and CRM as part of its processing services.
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