Question 1

Can I take card payments with an ACS reader?

Accepted Answer

Not directly — card-present payments require a PCI-certified PIN device. ACS readers are for ID, access, loyalty and integration use cases.

Question 2

Will an NFC reader read Apple Pay or Google Pay?

Accepted Answer

For non-payment use cases (loyalty, ID, ticketing) yes, where the wallet exposes the relevant NDEF/NFC payload. Payment tokens themselves require an EMV-certified terminal.

Question 3

What's the difference between contact and contactless?

Accepted Answer

Contact readers have a slot for chip-and-pin style cards; contactless readers tap NFC cards and phones. Combi readers do both.

Question 4

Will this work with our existing back-office software?

Accepted Answer

ACS readers expose PC/SC, so any application using the standard smart card stack will see them. Most middleware just works.

Question 5

Are these certified for NHS use?

Accepted Answer

Yes — ACS readers are widely deployed across NHS Trusts for Spine and Care Identity Service authentication. We supply both desktop USB and dual-interface variants used in clinical workflows.

Question 6

What does deployment and lead time look like?

Accepted Answer

Single units ship next day from UK stock. Larger trade orders (50+) are staged over 2-4 weeks, with optional asset tagging, serial-tracked batches and Trust/site-grouped despatch.

NFC & Smart Card Readers