Transact is providing mobile ID cards for the University of Texas at Tyler. UT Tyler is part of the broader UT school system, and is the first UT school with a mobile ID option.
To set up their mobile ID, students and university staff will first need to download the eAccounts app and log in with their university credentials. They will then be able to add their new Mobile P2 Card to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay account on a mobile device. Once that process is complete, they will be able to use that device to present their mobile ID in the same way that they would have presented a physical ID card in the past.
The mobile IDs are compatible with UT Tyler’s existing card readers, and can be used to gain access to any dorms, labs, and other buildings that require a school ID for entry. They can also be stored on an Apple Watch, an iPhone, or an Android phone. The system is expected to reduce administrative costs, since UT Tyler will no longer need to print physical cards, or waste money shipping them to students. Instead, the school will be able to issue and revoke school IDs remotely.
UT Tyler will still allow people to use physical cards should they so desire. The digital IDs use NFC technology to communicate with campus readers, and are secured with multi-factor authentication to prevent people from using someone else’s card.
“Our students are exceptionally tech-savvy,” said UT Tyler Business Affairs SVP and Academic Affairs COO Kim Laird. “Never without their electronic device, they are now assured safe and secure access to campus resources at any time.”
Transact recently updated its platform to allow students to store contact numbers for emergency mental health and support services alongside their student IDs. The University of Tennessee and the University of Alabama are some of the other schools that have transitioned to digital student IDs in the past few months.
Follow Us