Haj Terminal’s Modern Access Control
GE Security, Inc., a business of GE Enterprise Solutions, has installed new access control and fire and life safety systems at King Abdul Aziz International Airport’s Haj Terminal in Jeddah. The installation includes an innovative use of the new DirecDoor IP door controller to efficiently manage access at the large terminal’s many doors.
DirecDoor is the first two-door, Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) controller that can be used to cost-effectively control doors in a variety of unique applications anywhere there is Ethernet connectivity. While most typical installations use DirecDoor to add control of doors to existing access systems, the Haj Terminal is the first to use this advanced technology to control hundreds of doors.
“GE Security’s access control systems have allowed us to further our commitment to increasing airport security and passenger safety,” said Yasser Farouk, projects estimation manager, BT Applied Technology, the sub-contractor for the Haj terminal installation. The Haj Terminal can accommodate 80,000 travelers and is estimated to be the world’s fourth largest air terminal.
With simple plug-in installation, DirecDoor can significantly reduce labor costs and allow new doors to be efficiently controlled using online access systems. Unlike traditional centralized access control panels, the DirecDoor controller is deployed at the door — at the edge of the network — with full controller intelligence. Each controller can provide simplified installation for two doors.
The Haj Terminal installation also includes the GE Security fire solution. The Haj Terminal installation is complemented by the VisioWave-based intelligent smoke detection system — one of the first VisioWave intelligent applications to be used in a Middle East airport.
VisioWave is used in airports and other large facilities across EMEA for video surveillance applications.
Payment Issues Drive Online Purchases
Consumers value payment security and payment choice more than rewards when making purchases online according to a study by JupiterResearch and PayPal. According to the study, when US consumers are confronted with two merchants who offer the same product at the same price, the two most influential factors when choosing where to buy are payment security and payment choice.
The study showed that security influences online shopping behavior more than typical merchant incentives like rewards and discounts. In fact, more than half of the survey respondents consider the security of their financial information to be the deciding factor when they make purchases. An additional two thirds of shoppers feel more secure when they don’t have to enter financial information at all, even at merchant websites they trust.
The types of payments accepted by merchants influence whether or not consumers will shop on their websites. The study showed that more than half of online shoppers think about the payment method they will use before they click on the merchant’s checkout button. Sixty-six percent of consumers prefer e-commerce sites that offer multiple payment methods, and about half of online shoppers prefer the convenience of using alternative payment methods such as PayPal.
