The new payment system will have an open architecture. It complies with a series of broadly accepted, technical standard protocols to allow public transport companies to select connectable partial systems and system elements that suit the procedures of these companies best. This is valid for gates, public transport smart cards (OV-chipkaart) and vending equipment. TLS is responsible for the list of companies that deliver material which is compatible with the central processing system. The public transport companies are, thus, assured that the equipment purchased can work in combination with the central processing system. TLS has prepared a qualification and certification path for suppliers that would like to be included in the list. More than forty companies have already qualified for this list and their numbers are still growing. The document related to this issue can be downloaded.

The design, products and services of the Dutch national payment system are not split into a series of contracts with multiple suppliers. A series of integrated contracts have been concluded with East-West e-Ticketing B.V. This supplier will provide an integrated system spanning from the card readers at the stations and platforms to the transmission of transport data to public transport companies.

East-West will design and implement the central back-office and the equipment required to launch the system in a test region. For more information on East-West refer to Trans Link Systems - History.