Fife firm at the heart of Vodafone's revolutionary phone vending plans

A FIFE-based business is to provide the technology behind the first mobile phone-dispensing vending machines, which Vodafone plans to introduce across the UK later this year.

Ingenico UK, based at Dalgety Bay, will provide the chip and PIN power for the "QuickPhone kiosk", which will dispense a pay-as-you-talk phone, costing 30, and a Sim pack, costing 5, and could become a common sight everywhere from festivals to train stations.

Malcolm Bushell, Ingenico's vice-president for global sales and services, said: "The dispensing of mobile phones from a vending machine is a revolutionary market development in the UK and it is made possible thanks to the security offered by chip and PIN. We're delighted to be working with Vodafone and helping deliver this ground-breaking solution for vending machines. The security of Chip and PIN means we can expect the QuickPhone kiosk to be the first in a growing trend of high-value items becoming available from vending machines."

The new vending machines, offering a choice of three mobile phones, will be fitted with Ingenico's "i9400" terminal, a payment card security system that is already used to buy everything from cinema tickets to petrol.

Stuart Farrell, retail development manager for Vodafone UK, said: "New technologies, in conjunction with the chip and PIN system from Ingenico, have enabled us to offer higher-value products to our self-service customers. We believe Vodafone's QuickPhone will revolutionise the industry."

French-owned Ingenico employs 200 staff at its Fife regional headquarters. The firm, which specialises in electronic transmissions, facilitating card information transfer for anything from a utility bill payment to loyalty card schemes, also has a call centre in Northwich, near Manchester.