A South African company has scored a world first by using cellular phone SMS technology to communicate with remote vending machines and automatic teller machines (ATMs).
Instead of using expensive leased telephone lines - often not available at remote sites - ATMs that run out of cash can send an SMS to the bank requesting cash and vending machines that run dry can send an SMS requesting soft drinks or sweets.
Developed by specialist SMS company, Mobile Internet Gateway, the MIGTEL device can easily be installed in existing ATMs or vending machines, said MIG MD Derek Fingleson.
"Changing prices for goods dispensed by vending machines now requires a single SMS instead of sending a service technician to change it manually."
He said the MIGTEL Board would in future allow owners of any remotely-placed device which served the public - for example soft drink vending machines, bank ATMs or any similar device - to communicate with that machine by using SMS technology.
Developed by MIG`s Telematics Division, the MIGTEL Board can for example be used to change pricing details, as instructed from a company`s head office computer, or report back to that computer any changes in the machine`s physical configuration.
"These changes can be damage, stock levels, out of stock reports, coin mechanism blockages, tins or products jammed in the dispensing system, sales levels reached, general sales information, or even power off and on according to usage levels," Fingleson said.
The MIGTEL device, which plugs into the vending machine or ATM`s main circuit board in a `plug-and-play` fashion, is programmed to send an SMS if any of a set of pre-defined events occurred.
"As soon as one of these predefined events occur, an SMS is sent to the company head office computer, which has MIG`s `RemoteSMS` software package installed," said Fingleson.
"This in turn will trigger appropriate messages, in either SMS or e-mail format, to the relevant department, advising the exact location of the machine, the nature of the event, and can then interrogate the remote device for further details," said Fingleson. All the data is encrypted and is therefore totally secure.
"In addition, the RemoteSMS package can also issue instructions to the device to change pricing levels or any other configuration changes which the machine may be able to execute," he added. "The technical details of the MIGTEL Board can be viewed on our Web site, www.mig.co.za," concluded Fingleson.
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