Alternative to landline for a credit card machine?

Heather25

IIn my small shop I have a landline just so I can use a credit card machine. Next to it there is a computer with a dongle for internet access. Is there any way I can do away with the landline and still have the use of the credit card machine.

macman

Isn't the CCM essentially a dial up modem device? If so, then no. I'd talk to your merchant services provider.

Heather25

Thanks, I've tried them and they told me to contact the machine manufacturers who sent me back to the provider. Their latest promotion is a router style model but so far I haven't seen any that works on a dongle.

Mark_In_Hampshire

There's no particular reason why it shouldn't work over 3G that I can see. We have a 3G connection with Three that does pretty much everything a fixed line connection can do. However:

Latency is slightly higher. Doesn't matter for long running downloads; notices more when you're sending and receiving tiny packets of data. Even that won't notice with one till, it might notice if you had 30 of them trying to use it at once (e.g. fractionally longer to respond);

Some 3G providers block a range of ports, possibly the one(s) your machine uses. As above Three don't seem to, but others may;

If the machine is essential to you (to make sales) then ideally you ought to have a backup connection anyway (depends how busy you are, how many sales you'd lose etc) so in that respect one (fixed or 3G) ought really to be the backup for the other

If the machine "dials up" as above, like a fax machine, then it won't work.

If it relies on an internet connection being present (e.g. it doesn't connect to a phone line directly, but to a pre-existing network) then it should work, given all the above. However you'll need a router. The dongle plugs into the router, the card device connects to the router (suggest using an ethernet cable, not wireless) - Solwise seem to make some good ones; we have an Edimax one but it's a bit flaky and I wouldn't recommend it for this (needs rebooting now and again)

If serious about trying it, get the dongle and router setup working first to make sure you have a viable internet connection to try it with.

Buzby

I'd change your Merchant processor to someone who respects customers who need mobile card processing. I'm aware of at least 3 processors who actually supply 3G-enabled terminals, complete with SIM. There is no additional costs - although the mobile unit does cost a little more to rent (as you know, the terminal is never yours).