No RFID at Hurricane: EITS Global’s Side Of The Story

After launching its RFID cashless payment and access control wristband system at three Australian festivals in early 2012, EITS Global Ltd planned to debut the system in Europe at the Hurricane Festival in Hamburg.

But growing acrimony with Hurricane promoter FKP Scorpio – issues included various contract demands and fears of potential copyright theft – saw EITS withdraw its 11-strong team and equipment from the site two days before the event.

FKP Scorpio issued a press release stating its side of the story. EITS Global refutes each of its claims. The promoter maintains it removed EITS Global from the site believing RFID would not work. EITS replies that, as it pulled out two days earlier, “the main system never went live and not one patron walked through the gate using our system.” Of the allegation it had problems transferring its technology from Australia to Germany, EITs asks, “Do electrons behave differently in Germany? We don’t think so!”

EITS additionally rejects FKP Scorpio assertions that it had problems with money or credit being loaded on the wristbands. “EITS Global only received data from FKP Scorpio’s payment gateway providers, no money, so if there were any money problems, this had to originate from within KFP Scorpio’s own software or systems,” the company says. It also denies it decided to stop using the RFID chips at the festival, saying, “This is completely untrue … the RFID chips were never used for festival patrons.”

Despite this drawback, EITS managing director Bob Sofoulis told Pollstar from his Perth, Australia, office that negotiations are being held to introduce RFID in Europe during 2013.

He adds, “There are a number of events in the USA and Australia that will be utilizing the technology in the coming months. Some of these will also be outside the festival industry.” The software took a year to make ready.

“One of EITS Global Limited’s affiliated companies has been using similar technology in the mining and resource industry for over six years and we were able to draw on that experience of some of the personnel to speed up development time for the first release,” Sofoulis explains.