MEI to Offer Free Currency Upgrades for Vending and Amusement Customers

3/28/2007 – West Chester, PA 

MEI, the global leader in vending payment solutions, announced that upgrade software related to new U.S. currency releases will now be supplied free of charge for MEI® series 2000 FlashPort® bill validators.  The MEI® series 2000 re-programmable flash memory allows for easy updates and has the ability to upgrade software on location. 

"The U.S. Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing is issuing new currencies at a faster rate than in the past, and the associated upgrades are becoming a financial burden to vending operators," said Chris Mumford, Sr. Director of Vending Sales and Marketing. "By eliminating the software costs associated with upgrades, we'll help our customers protect their investment in MEI products."

MEI bill validator upgrades are done via the MEI Bill Programming Module (BPM).  The BPM connects to the input connector of the MEI series 2000 and, with the simple push of a button, the bill validator is updated with the new recognition software, with no need to remove it from the vendor.  The Bill Programming Module is available from any MEI Authorized Service Center. To locate your nearest MEI Service Center, visit meigroup.com or call MEI at 1-800-345-8215. 

About MEI

MEI, headquartered in West Chester, PA, holds the world's largest installed base of unattended payment systems, handling in excess of 2 billion transactions per week in over 90 countries. The company developed the first electronic coin mechanism in the 1960s, followed by the first electronic non-contact bill validator, and more recently its credit card capability and vending management solution. It is the leading supplier of vending cashless systems in Japan. Its products are in widespread use in the vending, bottling, gaming, amusement, transportation, retail, and kiosk markets. For more information on MEI and its products, visit meigroup.com or call 1-800-345-8215.