The Different Types of Credit Card Machines

If you are a retail merchant and need a credit card machine, then you have a number of choices and brands available to you. We have listed your options below so that you may make an informed decision on the terminal machine that is right for you. When it comes to terminal brands, you have the following choices: Verifone, Hypercom, Nurit, Ingenico and Way Systems.

Standard Dial Up Terminal - The most commonly used terminal is your standard unit that works over the phone line. An example would be the Nurit 2085. This type of terminal has been around for decades and should be for several more.
IP Based Terminal - a newer type of terminal is called an IP based terminal. This terminal is very similar to standard dial up terminal, except that it has a module inside that gives it the capability of processing transactions over an Internet connection instead of a phone line. This type of terminal is great for environments that need very fast processing, like fast food restaurants. An example would be the VeriFone Vx570 terminal.
Wireless Credit Card Terminal - a wireless terminal is almost identical to a standard unit, except that it works over a wireless network, such as CDMA or GPRS. This type of terminal is great for merchants on the go, such as trade show vendors and pizza delivery. An example would be the VeriFone Vx610 terminal.
Wireless Way Systems Terminal - this type is very similar to a wireless credit card terminal, except that it is a specially designed cell phone that transmits the information and coordinates it with a very small wireless printer. An example would be the Way Systems 1531 or 1581 terminal.
Computer Software - the last and least common type of equipment is computer software, such as PC Charge. This allows you to process transactions on your computer. It would require a magtek card reader and printer. For this type of setup, we would simply recommend using an Internet gateway service instead of the software. This is done with an Internet merchant account. It works very similar, except that you do not have to deal with a software program and the glitches that may come with it.

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