UniTiAg vs Classic Open Loop

Below, you will find a comparison table that highlights the key features of both the UniTiAg and classic open-loop ticketing models. This table provides a side-by-side comparison of the two models, allowing you to easily see the differences and benefits of each.

#FeaturesUniTiAgClassic Oepn-LoopComment
1Validation LatencyTap latency 250 – 400 msecContactless payment transaction latency 1 -5 secMore …
2Free ride riskLow. May only happen on low OTRB that is not updated on time, and if the TA is willing to take the riskHigh. The TA must take the risk due to high transaction latency
3Likeness of free ride cost recoveryGood for debit and credit cardsGood for credit cards. Debit cards are either not eligible or cause poor UX.More about debit cards …
4Cost of free ride cost recovery. Low, provided by TSMPs via CNP transactions.High due to card-present transaction aggregation rules complexity
5Acquiring merchant feesAffordable due to high level of transaction aggregation and debit cards usage.Prohibitive for small and mid-scale TAs due to low level of transaction aggregation and debit cards usage limitationsMore about transaction aggregation…
6Cost of implementation of card-present contactless acquiring and complianceNoneProhibitive for small and mid-scale
7Debit cardholder UX Good. No difference from closed-loop ticketingPoorMore about debit cardholder experience…
8Unbanked passengersPossible through prepaid reloadable cEMV cards and various non-EMV tokensPossible but more risky and more expensive due to card-present regulations and acquiring
9Contactless non-EMV tokensAny locally issued tokens can be used, such as contactless driver’s licenses, student cards, senior passes  Not acceptable
10Preserving riders’ previous experience with closed loopSeamless. TAs may keep the same system behavior that the legacy closed-loop system riders are accustomed toRiders accustomed to closed-loop cards must change their habits and be re-educated
11Foreign cardholder surchargeIf the cardholder selects a currency during the account top-up, the Forex surcharge, in some cases, may be less  Some card issuers apply surcharges for foreign currency conversion
12Preliminary account registrationSingle UniTiAg rider account with OTRB is required across all TAsNot required

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UniTiAg architecture