What is a dataphone or POS (Point of Sale)?

It is a small terminal that is installed in business establishments the purpose of which is to process the payment of those customers who wish to pay for their purchases by credit or debit card.

How does it work?

The dataphone establishes a connection between the business and the authorising centre of the bank with whom the paying customer operates. The purpose of this process is to confirm that the customer's card is operational, has a sufficient limit to pay for the purchase and has no warnings associated with it that might suggest a possible fraud. As a general rule, it takes no more than 5 seconds.

The dataphone has an associated current account for the business into which the amount for the sales processed is periodically deposited by means of a simple process called totalling, which normally takes place on a daily basis.

What types are there?

The main criterion for classifying the various types of dataphone is the communication system they use for data transmission. There are POS terminals that work with the traditional fixed telephone network, and others, which are mobile, either within the establishment through a WIFI network or even outside the premises, through GPRS communication, as used by mobile phones.

You can see the types of dataphones or POS terminals available at Banco Santander below:

Virtual POS: Designed for e-Commerce and online businesses as a reliable and flexible payment solution for making payments to online shops or apps.
Fixed POS: A terminal designed for physical shops and businesses. Strong and fast.
Mobile POS: Ideal for receiving payment both inside and outside the premises using a SIM card.
Wifi POS: Allows customers to pay at any place within the range of the wifi network.
PC POS: For companies with several payment points or a number of establishments who wish to centralise their business.

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