News

ICL introduces scanner for bill payment at ATM

March 11, 2002

LONDON -- In London, bank customers may not only be tapping the ATM for cash, but will be spending money at the same time -- on bills.

UK-based ICL, a large computer and software services company, has developed the first cash dispenser with a barcode scanner that enables consumers to pay bills via ATM, according to an article in the London Daily Mail.

Unlike other existing systems, the ICL scanner can read the special barcoding that will be preprinted on the bills that will contain details of the amount due and the consumer's bank account number. Existing systems require account details to be set up in advance before immediate bill payment can be made on an ATM.

Customers only need to sweep the barcode over the scanner at the machine, key in a PIN number and the bill is paid.

Banque du Caire, Egypt's third-largest bank, has purchased first 100 machines from ICL. The first users of the new bill-payment system will be customers of an Egyptian mobile phone network.