With a wide range of transponder technologies, communication standards, and connection options in the access market, how can original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and integrators maximize their opportunities and cater to diverse customer needs? A universal reader supports multiple systems and standards, ensuring compatibility today and adaptability for the future. This flexibility also opens the door to new business opportunities.
The Changing Market for Access Technologies
There are more than 60 radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies in common use worldwide, along with mobile technologies based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or Near-Field Communication (NFC). In addition, there are a wide array of communication standards and protocols, connection types, and interface options for access applications. For access applications, common RFID technologies include MIFARE, DESFire, iCLASS and LEGIC, but dozens of others are used regionally. At the same time, NFC mobile credentials (such as those held in the Google or Apple Wallet) are increasingly popular with both end users and organizations.
This diversity creates challenges for OEMs, integrators and organizations. OEMs embedding RFID readers into products such as printers, physical access control (PAC) systems, EV charging infrastructure or production machinery need solutions that will work across all market areas in which they sell and operate. They also need flexibility to support various interface and protocol requirements for various product lines or customer applications. Yet, many readers are limited to a narrow set of communication standards, frequencies, or interfaces, and lack the strong software package needed to customize for specific applications. This limits market opportunities or forces OEMs to stock multiple versions of their products, creating inventory management challenges and driving up costs.
At the same time, the access market continues to evolve, with new players, emerging standards and technologies, and changing customer expectations. Manufacturers and integrators face intense competition, forcing them to keep costs low to survive in a volatile market. They also must be prepared to update access technologies to stay on top of changing regulations, address growing cyberthreats or adapt to new protocols and standards. Readers without these capabilities leave OEMs and integrators vulnerable to changing markets, regulations and security threats.
Unlocking Opportunity: Why Universal Matters
That’s where universal RFID readers come in. Universal readers, such as those in ELATEC’s TWN4 line, take an agnostic approach by supporting a wide range of technologies, interface options, and communication protocols. They capable of reading virtually any transponder technology, including low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) RFID and mobile credentials using NFC or BLE. With versatile interfaces (including USB and RS-232) and the ability to handle multiple communication protocols (e.g., OSDP, clock/data, Wiegand, RS-485), they offer seamless integration into diverse environments. Strong firmware and a robust DevPack enables deep customization, allowing integrators and OEMs to tailor the reader’s capabilities to specific needs.
A universal reader not only addresses inventory challenges, but also unlocks new market opportunities and helps businesses prepare for the future. Here’s how:
- Market capture: With a universal reader, OEMs and integrators can support the interfaces and protocols required by their applications and the transponder technologies their clients prefer. This allows OEMs to serve and capture a larger percentage of their market. Interoperability saves time and money by enabling seamless integration with diverse systems and technologies, reducing the need for costly modifications, multiple devices, and complex configurations.
- Market expansion: A universal reader enables integrators to move into new markets, including new geographic regions, more easily, without having to source new reader hardware or navigate complex certification processes. For example, ELATEC’s universal readers are already certified for use in up to 100+ countries globally. With DevPack, transponder technologies can be added or removed as needed.
- Customer satisfaction and retention: Universal readers with a strong software package, such as ELATEC’s DevPack, allow OEMs and integrators to personalize their offerings and adapt to changing customer requirements, enhancing satisfaction, retention and loyalty. If a customer’s preferred transponder technology changes—for example, they move from ID cards to mobile credentials or adopt a new RFID standard—installed readers can simply be updated for the new technology.
- New business opportunities: Universal readers enable new business models, such as unified access systems that allow users to unlock everything they need in their work environment with a single ID card or mobile credential. OEMs and integrators offering universal readers in their solutions will have greater opportunities to play in their space or partner with other companies.
- Inventory and supply chain management: A single part number solution enhances cost optimization and operational efficiency. With a universal readers, OEMs and integrators can serve their entire customer base with a single part number solution. This not only eases inventory management headaches, but also helps to control costs and reduce supply chain concerns.
- Security and compliance: One of the hallmarks of a universal reader is a robust software system, which allows the reader to be customized for specific security requirements (e.g., the use of transponder technologies that support higher security, advanced encryption, or secure protocols like OSDP). As new security threats are discovered or the regulatory environment changes, these readers can be easily updated via the DevPack and remote update to support new standards and protocols.
- Future proofing: The technology ecosystem in which RFID readers exist is always changing, from the rise of “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices to the emergence of AI. A universal reader with remote update capabilities provides the flexibility to adapt to new transponder technologies, communication standards, protocols and regulatory requirements as they emerge. This ensures that OEMs and integrators won't have to replace hardware to keep up with industry advancements or shifts in customer preferences.
What Makes a Reader Universal?
A truly universal reader is defined by its agnostic strategy, meaning it can support multiple technologies, frequencies and protocols. It’s designed with a universal foundation that includes multi-level interfaces and open standards and supported by a robust software package, ensuring easy integration, customization and interoperability across various systems and applications. ELATEC’s universal TWN4 readers set the standard, offering seamless integration, remote updates, and the flexibility to meet changing market demands.
