Access Control
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Smart card shipments to the U.S. and Canada from January through June 2002 were 31.2 million cards -- more than double the same period as last year. The study, which is updated twice yearly, was conducted by KPMG LLP and released at the Alliance's 10th annual conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The total number of smart cards shipped for use in the United States and Canada in the first half of 2002 was 31,200,000. This represents a 111% increase from the same period in 2001, during which 14,770,000 cards were shipped. Of the total, microprocessor cards accounted for 24,950,000 in 2002, up 87% from 13,310,000 a year earlier. Memory card shipments in 2002 jumped to 6,240,000 compared to 1,460,000 in the same period last year, more than a threefold increase.

"The change we are seeing is that the volume is more evenly spread across several sectors including financial, retail, pay TV and government. This is very positive because it makes the industry less dependent on telecom, although that sector remains among the largest," said Randy Vanderhoof, president and CEO of the Smart Card Alliance.

More information is available at smartcardalliance.org

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