Here is the current industry position on talking ATMs as appearing in
atmmarketplace.com. It should be noted that nearly all of the 600 talking
atm's in the United States are retrofits that is upgrades of existing
machines.  It is believed that there are many thousands of machines in
operation today that are easily capable of being upgraded with technology
currently available from ATM vendors.  the article does not leave that
impression.

As for ATM networks and processors, one company, concord EFS, is already
on board and has certified a talking ATM solution from one vendor and is
developing more. Concord is the largest processor of card transactions in
the United States.  It has a coast-to-coast, debit network comprised of
the MAC, Cash Station, and STAR networks with 6,500 financial institution
members with 124 million cards.  Consumers carrying these cards have
access to their deposit accounts at approximately 180,000 ATMs and 720,000
point of sale locations nationwide.

Kelly


Commentary:  Audio ATMs

by
Kurt Helwig
. June 21, 2001

Editor's note: The author, Kurt Helwig, is executive director of the
Electronic Funds Transfer Association, an inter-industry, Washington,
D.C.- based trade association that promotes the advancement of electronic
payment systems and commerce.

Within the coming year, it is a virtual certainty that guidelines will be
established that will ultimately require ATM deployers to make some or all
terminals "accessible to and independently usable by persons with vision
impairments" through voice-enabled technology.

EFTA to host
ADA meeting

Where: Hilton Crystal City, Ronald Reagan National Airport, Arlington, Va.
When: Wednesday, June 27
Who: Open to all interested parties
More info:
http://www.efta.org/events/jun2701.htm

The requirement for voice-enabled ATMs has its basis in the Americans With
Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, which provides comprehensive civil rights
protection to individuals with disabilities. It is also an opportunity for
ATM deployers to continue making a significant contribution to the
independence of disabled persons, as they have done so in the past with
innovations that have made terminals more accessible to both the visually
impaired and those confined to wheelchairs


many recognize the need for and their responsibility to provide audio
capabilities - or other suitable accommodations - as part of future ATM
installations.

After a reasonable period to allow ATM manufacturers time to integrate voice capabilities
into new terminals and other industry participants (e.g., processors,
terminal drivers and networks) to develop necessary operational and software support, it
is my belief that the visually impaired community will find ATM
deployers excellent partners in the effort to reduce barriers to independent use of ATMs
by its members.

I should note here that a number of large ATM deployers have implemented
or are currently testing audio ATMs. This is a wonderful development, and
these industry leaders are to be applauded for their response to the needs
of the visually impaired community. It is also an example of how free
market forces work invisibly behind the scenes to expand ATM access to the
greatest number of consumers, clearly the goal of almost every deployer.

The introduction of audio ATMs by major banking companies should not,
however, obscure the challenges that a voice-enabled requirement may
present to the broader ATM community, particularly smaller deployers and
those with more limited resources.

Compliance guidelines under development by the Architectural and
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the Board), an independent
federal agency, for distribution at yearend will determine the degree of
the challenge.

Grandfathering: Mother of all issues

The centerpiece of the challenge is the extent to which already installed
ATMs will be grandfathered.

When the ADA was first enacted and regulations implementing it went into
effect, many public facilities were grandfathered. The Board clearly
recognized the difficulty and inherent inequity of retrospectively
applying the guidelines to existing facilities, and appropriately focused
its attention on ensuring that new or renovated facilities would meet its
specifications for accessibility. The same standard should apply to
requirements for audio-capable ATMs.

Although incorporating audio capabilities in terminals designed for that
purpose is not an insignificant effort, current hardware and software
technology does make such capabilities feasible. Retrofitting existing
ATMs with voice-enabled capabilities, however, is an eminently more
challenging undertaking involving issues of software and processor
compatibility.

Some ATMs can be retrofitted, of course, evidenced by those that have
already been upgraded. But that ability is not consistent throughout the
industry. Newer, high-end terminals are more likely to be upgradeable at a
more reasonable cost than older or low-end terminals. Some terminals,
including all of those manufactured before 1988, may not be upgradeable at
any cost.

In the tradition of the ADA and consistent with its legislative history,
currently installed ATMs should be grandfathered from audio requirements.
Any other decision unfairly singles out ATM deployers that have invested
in making ATMs more convenient to millions of consumers.

Question of timing

Accessibility guidelines also should provide a reasonable period after
they are issued before compliance becomes mandatory. This period is
essential because audio-capable ATMs are not currently widely available.

Although some ATM manufacturers currently offer terminals with audio
capabilities, others have not yet developed marketable products. Time is
needed for the marketplace to catch up. Without reasonable lead time, the
supply of audio-capable ATMs may not be able to satisfy demand - which
would have a chilling effect on future installations.

A delayed effective date of 36 months would also address the needs of
industry participants other than manufacturers - specifically, networks,
terminal drivers and processors. These types of organizations must develop
support for the audio capabilities that ATM manufacturers develop. Since
most of these organizations operate in a multi-vendor environment and each
vendor will develop its own unique audio solution, this may represent a
formidable task.

Not the enemy

ATM deployers recognize their responsibility to use emerging technologies
to accommodate persons with disabilities. Today, even without explicit
requirements, some ATM deployers are upgrading their terminals with audio
capabilities and more are certain to follow. These organizations, with the
resources and market power to do so, are helping break down the barriers
for visually impaired persons who deserve the opportunity to be
independent in every aspect of their lives.

With guidelines that will effectively lead to more voice-enabled ATMs, ATM
service for the visually impaired community will continue to expand and
visually impaired persons will benefit.

Over time, ATMs without voice-enabled capabilities will be replaced with
new terminals with integrated audio features. It is prudent to allow the
industry to focus on this task, rather than the significantly more
difficult and costly exercise of upgrading currently installed ATMs that
were never designed to include audio features. It is also prudent to the
integrity of the ATM system worldwide to allow the entire industry
reasonable time to incorporate and test the new functionality.

The world of ATMs is vast and interconnected. This is what makes it
possible for consumers to use ATMs virtually anywhere in the world to
access their funds. It is also what makes the task of a major software and
hardware change, such as audio-capable ATMs require, a significant
challenge.

We encourage all of those involved in this industry dialogue to understand
that ATM deployers support and will continue to support expanded access by
persons with disabilities.

I don't think that it would be unreasonable to state on behalf of
deployers that their goal is to expand ATM convenience to the widest
feasible audience. What deployers do not wish to see, however, is overly
strict regulation that would ultimately diminish ATM service to all
consumers because of issues related to retrofitting or insufficient lead
times for compliance.

ATM deployers should not be treated as the enemy, but as partners in
developing reasonable and equitable solutions that consider a multitude of
factors.

Copyright 2001 NetWorld Alliance LLC. All rights reserved.