Is RF-enabled smart card technology the same as RFID?
No. There is significant confusion in discussions of RF-enabled technologies, with RF-enabled smart card technology often incorrectly categorized as “RFID.” There is a wide range of RF technologies used for a variety of applications–each with different operational parameters, frequencies, read ranges and capabilities to support security and privacy features. For example, the RFID technologies that are used to add value in manufacturing, shipping and object-related tracking operate over long ranges (e.g., 25 feet), were designed for that purpose alone, and have minimal built-in support for security and privacy. RF-enabled smart cards, on the other hand, use RF technology, but, by design, operate at a short range (less than 4 inches) and can support the equivalent security capabilities of a contact smart card chip.
Related Questions
- What security techniques can be implemented with RF-enabled smart card technology to improve the privacy and security of an identity verification system?
- Is RF-enabled and contactless smart card technology the same as RFID technology?
- What applications are currently using RF-enabled smart card technology?
