How do terminals connect?
All terminals that AND deploys can connect via a dial-up phone line, OR through an internet (IP) connection. Some terminals can connect wirelessly, through WiFi or cellular (LTE) connections.
One of the terminal's main jobs is to get real-time authorizations, so a terminal needs a live connection to the payment networks. Traditionally, terminals connected via a dial-up telephone line. This technology is fading out, but almost all terminals still maintain this connection type as a legacy component. However, most merchants use Internet (IP) processing to connect, as it's much faster than dial-up processing. When a terminal has both dial and IP connections, it's known as a "dual-communication" or "dual-comm" terminal. Almost all terminals these days are "dual-comm".
Newer, more advanced terminals also include wireless processing capabilities. WiFi is the most popular form of wireless communication, as almost all businesses have a WiFi connection in their establishment. This allows you to place your terminal anywhere within range of your WiFi signal, as long as you have a power source.
One step further are cellular (LTE) or 4G connections, which allows merchants to accept transactions anywhere they're in cell range. This is great for merchants at trade shows, house-calls, or who operate in areas with spotty WiFi/electricity.
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