ASK TongFang has been selected to manufacture the contact-less inlays for the 12.2 million RFID tickets for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  The tickets, which include anti-counterfeiting printed security features, spotlight one of the breakthrough features of the mega sports fest.

According to the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee (BOCOG), security is a high priority in the preparation of the games, and RFID-embedded tickets will be used for the sales and verification of tickets to eliminate counterfeiting. The technology provides secure, reliable and innovative services for all visitors attending the Games.

Helping make all this a reality is ASK TongFang, a joint venture between France’s ASK SA and China’s Tsinghua TongFang Limited. The company was recently selected to manufacture the contact-less inlays for the 12.2 million RFID tickets of the XXIX Olympiad. It will donate the entire RFID system to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, including the RFID inlays, gate readers, software and service. Partnering with ASK TongFang will be China Banknote, which will provide the tickets’ anti-counterfeiting printed security features.

ASK Tong Fang RFID tickets are based on ASK's unique technology, which uses silver ink printed antenna and flip chip die attach, manufactured at the joint venture manufacturing plant in Miyun, near Beijing. According to Mr. Gu Qing, ASK Tong Fang General Manager,
"We are really proud to contribute to this national major event with an innovative technology. ASK's technology transfer has been a success and we have been able to demonstrate to the organizing committee all the merits of our technology, the cost-effectiveness of the equipment and the skills of our team.”

Developed by Tsinghua University and Beijing Tsinghua Tongfang Microelectronics Company, the RFID chip has a minimum size of 0.3 square millimeter and a thickness of 50 microns. It can be embedded into paper and can be used to identify goods from about five meters away. Its high tech features makes it difficult for the chip to be counterfeited, hence it also effectively prevents the occurrence of fake door tickets and simplifies the ticket checking procedure. Additionally, the chip reportedly can keep information such as when and where a ticket holder buys the ticket and where the holder's seat is located in its memory. As part of the implementation, nearly 1,000 terminal devices will be installed to verify authenticity.

ASK had already successfully contributed to the Olympic Games: During the XXth Winter Games in Turin in 2006, public transport authorities and other players implemented contact-less technology using ASK contact-less cards and tickets.

With its star turn in this year’s Olympiad, the company hopes to boost contact-less technology deployment in China and beyond.