ITSO Services Limited
The ITSO Services Limited HOPS (AMS)
In September 2007 Applied Card Technologies Limited (ACT) was awarded the national English National Concessioanry Travel Scheme HOPS (AMS) and managed service contract by ITSO Services Limited. Following the successful issuance of over 5.7 million ENCTS ITSO smart cards, within 2.5 months, the ISL HOPS is now the largest live and operational ITSO HOPS (AMS) in the United Kingdom.
Background:
The Department for Transport (DfT) and ITSO are improving the way concessionary travel works. From April 2008, all citizens aged 60+ and the disabled will receive free off-peak travel on bus services throughout England. The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme passes are being issued in ITSO smartcard form. ITSO, the specification behind the ENCTS card, is an 'open specification' which means that it promotes open standards and is available to any equipment supplier, transport operator or local authority. ITSO Services Ltd (ISL) has been set up by the UK Government Department for Transport (DfT) and ITSO to provide certain services for the non-smart Travel Concession Authorities, to facilitate the implementation of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.
A central component to the ISL service for Transport Concessionary Authorities is the ITSO Host Operator or Processing System (HOPS) back office ticket processing and security engine provided and managed by Applied Card Technologies Limited (ACT). The ISL HOPS (AMS) collects all non smart ENCTS card and ticket production details from each card bureau (or in house ENCTS card issuing station), processes and verifies the card content and responds to the card issuing or accepting devices accordingly. From the 1st April 2008, the ISL HOPS will also become a transport ticketing engine for the non-smart TCA's transactions created when their cards are used in 'smart' areas.
As part of its ISL services, ACT is providing the following:
HOPS (AMS) product
Managed hosting and operational services
ISAM commissioning services
Bureau Integration and support services
ISL provide the following: User Support and Guidance, ISAM Provision; Concessionary Transaction Collection and Depository through the ISL HOPS, Stoplisting Processing and Help Desk. ITSO Services team can be contacted on 0121 634 2758 or via helpdesk@itsoservices.org.uk