Schlumberger says the demand for smart phone cards is double what the company anticipated. In addition to practically eliminating vandalism, the company says the new system has given Antel better visibility of network traffic and of user preferences. This lets the carrier pinpoint better locations for future phones.
In the meantime, Schlumberger officials are talking to Uruguayan officials about expanding the smart card telecom program into a wide-ranging public payment infrastructure, which may incorporate parking ramps and meters, and public transportation systems.