European Prize for iziSHOP's eTicket electronic transportation ticketing system

Brussels / Hannover, March 1, 2011 – One of Europe's most highly rated ICT and digital media prizes, the European Seal of e-Excellence's Gold Seal, was awarded to Hedz Hungary Ltd, for the development of a new generation electronic transportation ticketing system, iziSHOP eTicket. The award was announced at the gala awards ceremony on the first day of CeBIT in Hannover.

The European Seal of e-Excellence prizes have been awarded annually since 2003 at Europe's largest digital IT and telecommunications trade fair, CeBIT. The Seal is one of the highest distinctions for ICT and digital media companies and is awarded by an international jury of European delegates. The Seal has 3 categories, platinum, gold and silver, which are awarded to those companies with outstanding marketing and European-quality products & services. Hedz Hungary Ltd was awarded the Gold Seal, European Seal of e-Excellence this year for its development of a new-generation electronic ticketing system, the iziSHOP eTicket solution.

"iziSHOP eTicket presents a new perspective in the development of truly traveler-friendly ticket services for public transport systems. It is a great honor for us to receive this highly respected international prize, which provides increased momentum to our expansion into the European market," stated Sándor Fejes, the managing director of Hedz Ltd, at the gala awards ceremony.

The iziSHOP eTicket service, which allows travelers to purchase tickets and passes by mobile telephone and internet, rather than waiting in line, has won numerous business awards, including the highly regarded Hungarian Innovation Grand Prix Distinction Prize in 2009. The tickets can be exhibited on the mobile telephone screen, but existing identification cards, such as students' cards or address cards, or even the soon to be introduced citizen's card, can also be used as the ticket or pass. The ticket system's primary innovation is the unique combination of a central database model paired with mobile internet technologies. The first such service, thus far only using mobile telephones, was made available through Pecs' public transit system in 2009. With the integration of the new solution, however, mobile phones or identification cards can be used for any transport services needed while travelling. While it can be used to purchase a monthly pass in one city, elsewhere it can be used for a day pass or even a train ticket for inter-city travel. In comparison with traditional transportation cards, this new system is open, much faster and includes a wider range of services, as well as being easier for users to access and, not least of all, is considerably less expensive than the transportation card systems.