If you are not familiar with the difference between offline and real-time processing, this page will give
you a basic understanding of each.
Offline Processing
Offline processing refers to the fact that your equipment has to connect to the payment network each time you make a
sale. This is commonly done by dialing-up and going through an initialization
process each time a sale is made - adds around 14 to 20 seconds for processing time.
Examples of offline processing are: Dial-up Terminals,
some PC Payment Software.
Real-time Processing
When your equipment is constantly connected to the processing network, it is referred to as real-time processing. Commonly, the equipment is connected with a
secure, high-speed connection, so there is no initialization process. It is fastest way to process payments.
Examples of equipment that provide real-time processing are:
Internet Gateway,
IP-enabled Terminals,
PC Payment Software.
To understand the different methods of accepting payments, see the following:
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