Octopus extending tentacles outside of Hong Kong
Written by simorny on May 26th, 2008Monday, May 12 2008
By Andy Williams, Contributing Editor
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Hong Kong-based Octopus Cards Limited ought to be feeling pretty good about itself. Not only has it revolutionized transit payments at home-Hong Kong-but its arms are starting to spread to other parts of the world.
In 2003, Octopus successfully exported its technology and experience to The Netherlands to provide the clearinghouse system software and “operational expertise to the Dutch party to implement a nationwide automatic fare collection system,” says Prudence Chan, chief executive officer of Octopus Cards Limited, the managing organization owned by the major transport operators in Hong Kong. The Netherlands’ system will be rolled out to the whole country by 2009, adds Chan.
Just last year, she says, Octopus was awarded a contract to develop and implement a contactless smart card payment system for the Road and Transport Authority in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Modeled on Hong Kong’s Octopus, the new system will be a common platform for multiple public transport services in Dubai.”
And as its tentacles expand, so do the form factors. That’s why it’s simply “Octopus,” not “Octopus Card,” says Chan. “As the Octopus functionality can be provided in different formats as well as a card, we use the word ‘Octopus’ to refer to the full range of cards, watches, key-fobs, plush toys as well as crystal key chains.”
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