Shazam Offers 1% PIN Debit Rate through Adaptive Payments

Discount rate of 1% for PIN debit transactions for all merchants that use Pentagon offered

DES MOINES, Iowa and FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The SHAZAM network today announced that it has launched the Adaptive Payments Pentagon mobile point-of-sale (POS) payments application. Pentagon is a mobile payments platform, which allows merchants to accept PIN debit, signature debit and credit transactions using iPhone® and Android® mobile phone and tablet devices. SHAZAM will roll out Pentagon to its nearly 1,500 community financial institutions and their merchant customer base.

The technology behind the Pentagon mobile payments application is unique to the marketplace as it uses Adaptive Payments'5DSecure™  five factor-dual channel authentication technology to authenticate PIN debit transactions quickly and securely. The Pentagon solution breaks new ground by being the first and only solution to use the consumer's phone for PIN capture and using Adaptive Payments' patent pending, outside-of-band authentication technology. The PIN is captured in a second channel and is never stored virtually with the cardholder's card data or personal information. Security is a hallmark for Adaptive Payments and Pentagon is no different. In addition to accepting PIN debit, Pentagon uses 3DES to encrypt the magnetic stripe right at the read head. The transaction produces a Regulation E-compliant receipt that is delivered to consumers via SMS text message. Pentagon also captures and stores an image of the signed receipt.  

"Payments are rapidly evolving from traditional card-present and card-not-present situations to more mobile and online environments," said Mike Hollinger, SHAZAM President and CEO. "Consumers expect to be able to shop any time and at any place. There is also an expectation to be able to shop safely and securely without fear of fraud or identity theft. Not only does Pentagon make payments more accessible to more consumers and merchants, but it does so without compromising on end-to-end security, providing peace of mind to all stakeholders."

"The mobile payments space is becoming crowded with many look-alike payers but Adaptive Payments stands alone. Unlike other mobile payment providers that disintermediate existing relationships, Pentagon is "an open platform" specifically designed to be accessible to all financial institutions and merchant acquirers, allowing them to use the product without changing processors and to customize it to make Pentagon their own," said Shashi Kapur, Adaptive Payments CEO. "What's more, we are creating additional differentiation by processing PIN debit and encrypting the mag stripe at the read head. We are also announcing today a discount rate of 1% for PIN debit transactions for all merchants that use Pentagon. Our confidence in the security of our authentication technology, combined with our ultra modern and lower cost processing environment enables us to price PIN debit using Pentagon very aggressively." 

"We continue to look for safe and secure ways to expand PIN debit transactions and Pentagon does just that," stated Hollinger. "Adaptive Payments is delivering a significantly lower cost for PIN debit. Pentagon is a win for all stakeholders by lowering fraud risk for financial institutions and merchants, making card-based payments accessible to more merchants, and enabling cardholders to conduct secure PIN transactions anywhere they shop. Merchants of all types and sizes will be able to quickly, cost-effectively, and securely accept electronic payments anytime, anywhere using their mobile phones."

Merchants that are interested in Pentagon can find more information athttp://www.adaptivepayments.com/PentagonRegistration.php

About Adaptive Payments

Based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Adaptive Payments is a payment authentication company that enables easy, safe, secure and authenticated transactions to occur using the cardholder's PIN or other data that is known to the cardholder to authenticate debit and credit transactions. The company has developed payment solutions for internet sales, money transfer, bill payment, prepaid top up, mobile overdraft opt in and mobile payments. These products are delivered across all payments card acceptance channels. All Adaptive Payments' solutions feature "5DSecure" five-factor authentication using two unique channels for authentication separating the sales and personal data from the secure PIN or other authentication token.

About SHAZAM

The SHAZAM network was founded in 1976 and is one of the last remaining member-owned and -controlled EFT networks and processors in the industry. SHAZAM provides innovative and state-of-the-art EFT services to community financial institutions in 30 states. SHAZAM is a single source provider for ATM processing, debit and ATM card processing, card authorization services, merchant processing, Automated Clearing House (ACH) services and information security solutions.

SOURCE Adaptive Payments

Freescale and INSIDE Secure Revolutionize the Prepaid Meter

January 24, 2012 07:00 AM Eastern Time 

Prepaid meter reference design enables secure purchase and reload of energy credit balance using smart phones or contactless smart cards

DistribuTECH 2012

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) and INSIDE Secure today announced a secure prepaid utility meter reference design with near field communication (NFC) connectivity that OEMs can use to quickly and cost-effectively bring to market electricity meter products. The reference design, based on the Freescale Kinetis MK30 microcontroller (MCU), provides the first NFC-based, prepaid meter with the ability to securely reload energy credit balances.

“Through our collaboration with Freescale, we have been able to combine our leading security and connectivity solutions to protect prepaid meters while providing a more convenient way to load energy credits and deliver valuable usage information to utilities.”

Utilities in many countries require a sophisticated payment infrastructure to facilitate the utility payment process while preventing fraud. Secure prepaid meters, such as this reference design developed by Freescale and INSIDE Secure, address this need by adding sophisticated smart card security mechanisms that have been proven in the banking industry. Products based on this reference design are protected from fraud because they employ a VaultIC^TM security module and NFC technology to safely load energy credits from a smart card or an NFC-enabled phone.

“The global need for prepaid metering solutions and robust security is rapidly increasing, especially in emerging markets,” said Bruno Baylac, director of Freescale's Metering, Medical and Connectivity Solutions business. “By partnering with INSIDE Secure we are not only bringing advanced security features but also innovative contactless technology, enabling the design of simple, tough mechanical meters that are virtually tamper-proof.”

“In many parts of the world, prepaid electricity meters offer the best solution for controlling energy distribution, but providing adequate security to prevent fraud has always presented challenges,” said Christian Fleutelot, general manager of the Vault-IC SAS business unit and executive vice president for digital security at INSIDE Secure. “Through our collaboration with Freescale, we have been able to combine our leading security and connectivity solutions to protect prepaid meters while providing a more convenient way to load energy credits and deliver valuable usage information to utilities.”

Tweet this: @Freescale and INSIDE Secure announce a secure prepaid utility #smartmeter reference design with NFC connectivityhttp://ow.ly/8AXcZ

The reference design features INSIDE Secure’s VaultIC™ 460 and NFC (MicroRead^® 3.4) chipset. The VaultIC^™ 460 security module provides comprehensive security functions such as mutual authentication, verification and generation of certificates, encryption/decryption and managing secure storage of cryptographic keys. It is FIPS140-2 Level 3 ready. NFC connectivity is implemented using the MicroRead^® controller and Open NFC protocol stack.

The system is powered by the Freescale MK30X256 32-bit MCU (built on the ARM^® Cortex^TM-M4 core), which operates up to 100 MHz with 1.25 DMIPS/MHz. The firmware is based on Freescale’s MQX™ real-time operating system. The built-in segment LCD controller displays all standard metering values at the push of a button.

The secured prepaid meter reference design is being demonstrated by Freescale and INSIDE Secure during the DistribuTECH Conference & Exhibition, January 24-26, in booth 131 in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The reference design also will be demonstrated in the Freescale booth during the Smart Metering UK & Europe Summit 2012 conference and exhibition being held in London January 26-27.

Paying for Public Transit in Philadelphia: as Simple as Tapping a Credit Card or Waving a Smartphone

Image via CrunchBase

January 24, 2012 08:05 AM Eastern Time 

ACS, A Xerox Company, Helps Philadelphia Install One of the Nation’s First Open Fare Payment Systems for Public Transit

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Riding on any Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) vehicle soon won’t require passes, farecards, tokens or cash. As part of a $122.2 million contract with ACS, A Xerox Company (NYSE: XRX), passengers will instead be able to digitally pay their fare with a quick tap or wave of their “contactless” credit or debit card or even their smartphone. SEPTA will be one of the first in the country to offer riders the ability to travel and pay this way.

“This new system will allow commuters to spend more time where they want to be and less time getting there or waiting in line”

Passengers riding any of the buses, subways, trolleys or the regional rail trains on the SEPTA system will be able to use this modernized open payment fare collection system. During the three-year implementation, ACS will design, install, integrate and operate one of the country’s most sophisticated transit payment technology systems. The contract also includes two five-year options for continued operations.

“This next generation payment system will offer an extraordinary level of convenience, speed and accuracy for customers,” said SEPTA general manager Joseph M. Casey.

The new system will allow passengers to pay their fares using a card many already have in their wallets. It will be more secure due to strict banking industry standards, and more convenient and simpler than fare payment options available elsewhere. It also will allow for seamless travel throughout the entire SEPTA network and provide the capability for future integration with other transit authorities in the region.

For the first time ever, the New Payment Technology will provide SEPTA with precise, real-time business intelligence on all services with the ability to better manage resources, modify services and respond to customer needs.

“This new system will allow commuters to spend more time where they want to be and less time getting there or waiting in line,” said Dave Amoriell, chief operating officer, Transportation and Local Government Solutions, ACS.

Working with New Jersey Transit, The Metropolitan Transit Authority (NY) and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, ACS, was the first to demonstrate that complex, regional fare collection systems can accept regular contactless credit and debit cards. Rider satisfaction surveys showed the majority of riders liked the new payment technology and most preferred it over the current cash, coin, and ticket-based transit payment system.

The ACS team consists of local partners including PRWT, which will provide customer care support; Parsons Transportation Group, which will provide design, engineering and construction support services; and Temple University, which is conducting software development.

ACS systems and services are used by more than 1,000 municipal, regional and national operators in 400 cities worldwide to run more than 150,000 pieces of equipment that enables 50 million passengers per day to use buses, trolleys, tramways and trains. ACS-deployed solutions include more than 50,000 smart card readers on buses, faregates, turnstiles, and other fare collection devices. ACS is the largest provider of transportation services to governments worldwide, with projects in 35 countries.

RapidNFC Launches ScanStrength NFC Tag Performance Index

RapidNFC, a leading provider of NFC tags, stickers and products has launched ScanStrength, an independent scan performance index.

RapidNFC Logo

ScanStrength reduces a little of the unknown when choosing NFC tags.

London, UK (PRWEB UK) 12 January 2012

RapidNFC has launched ScanStrength, an independent NFC tag scan performance index. ScanStrength is designed to help RapidNFC customers make more informed decisions about the range of available NFC tags and products.

ScanStrength grades NFC tags and products from 1 to 10 based on their relative scanning distance performance. The NFC tag being evaluated is placed into a specially designed low relative permittivity testing rig. RapidNFC then test the scanning distance using three of the most popular NFC enabled mobile phones from Nokia, Samsung and BlackBerry. To ensure accurate and reliable results, the tests are performed a set number of times with differing phone orientations and using multiple copies of the same NFC tags or product. Results are then collated and a ScanStrength relative performance index from 1 to 10 is applied.

The difference in NFC tag performance was both significant and surprising. Additionally, none of the phones consistently provided better results than the others. There was, however, a clear winner with the new NXP NTAG203 chip, which performed better than any other in almost every test.

Phil Coote, RapidNFC's CEO commented, 'For a large number of our customers, NFC technology is new and unknown. The RapidNFC ScanStrength Index was created to try and reduce a little of that unknown and give our customers a helping hand in the decision making process.'

All ScanStrength grades are available on the RapidNFC store and will be updated regularly as new products arrive.

About RapidNFC
Launched in 2011, RapidNFC is a leading NFC retailer providing friendly and knowledgeable advice on a range of high quality, reliable and tested NFC tags, stickers and products.

Contact :

Sandy Low
RapidNFC
17 Shorts Gardens
London WC2H 9AT

Tel: 020 7836 8566
Email: press(at)rapidnfc(dot)com
Web: http://rapidnfc.com

Global Industry Study Reveals How New Technologies and Social Change Will Combine to Transform Travel by 2020

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‘From Chaos to Collaboration’, a new research study commissioned by Amadeus, challenges the travel industry to overcome the uncertainty and stress of modern-day travel through the application of new technologies and innovations

Augmented reality, gamification*, intelligent passenger records, long range biometrics and the rise of the wellbeing agenda to drive change in the next decade and beyond, heralding a new era of industry and travel collaboration

MADRID--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A major new global study released today outlines how transformative technologies and evolving social values and trends will combine to establish a new era of collaborative travel over the next decade and beyond.

The report, ‘From chaos to collaboration: how transformative technologies will herald a new era in travel’, demands increased partnership across the travel industry, in turn removing the stress, uncertainty and chaos that is usually associated with traveling in the 21^st Century, as well as providing much richer, deeper and more personal travel experiences at the same time.

Developed by The Futures Company, a leading global foresight and futures consultancy, and commissioned by Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, the report details a clear qualitative shift where service-users become partners rather than customers and where context is as important as the transaction. Of course at the heart of this new era of collaboration is a set of discrete ‘enabling’ technologies and innovations.

Based on extensive research and input from key industry experts – including technologists, leading travel industry representatives, social trends experts and futurists – as well as quantitative traveler research in Brazil, China, Russia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, the study explores six key areas in which future technology and innovation could be deployed.

Key findings

1. The next generation of experience: Travel is increasingly about depth rather than breadth of experience. Technologies such as augmented reality, gamification mechanisms and smart mobile devices will transform the travel experience
2. Automatic transit: Checking in could become the exception rather than the norm, with the rise of faster and more efficient identity management systems. Chips, biometrics, long range fingerprinting and near field communications (NFC) can be deployed in a more integrated way to fast-forward how people move around
3. Payment with memory: All data on payments made before and during a trip will be integrated, acting as a digital memory of expenditure and activity for individuals, groups and travel industry operators. Intelligent passenger records, ‘digital breadcrumbs’ and contactless technologies could be used to personalize and bundle services, delivering higher value and more profitable relationships
4. Intelligent recommendation: As technologies make it easier for people to tag and review all aspects of travel experiences, travelers will be more influenced by peer groups and expert curators. The prospect of personal travel guides and mobile tour representatives will give travelers the tools they need to enrich their experience
5. Taking the stress out of travel: The wellbeing agenda and changing demographics will place greater emphasis on removing travel stress. Intelligent luggage tags and tickets will give greater reassurance while m-Health (mobile-Health) applications will allow travelers to manage and monitor their health and wellbeing as if they were at home
6. The business tourist: Continued emphasis on work-life balance and wellbeing at work may see the rise of the business tourist, which will demand speed and efficiency as well as a home-away-from-home

Eberhard Haag, Executive Vice President, Global Operations, Amadeus, said, “Over the next decade, there is a significant opportunity to redefine how the industry delivers and packages services to meet changing traveler needs. Key to this is more intelligent information exchange, a willingness to challenge the status quo and greater two-way partnership between travelers and travel players. We are committed to stimulating debate within the travel sector about how the world is changing, what travelers will increasingly expect and how the industry can evolve in a way that secures growth and profitability for our customers’ future success.”

Andrew Curry, Director and Co-author, The Futures Company said, “We wanted to avoid making techno-centric assumptions about the future of travel – and painting a picture of flying cars and intelligent robots in a world that is otherwise unchanged from today. You can’t make an intelligent or realistic prediction about the effect of technology without considering infrastructure, systems and business models, as well as social values and trends. We hope that this study will challenge, provoke and stimulate thinking around how we will all be traveling in the future.”

To download a copy of the report, please visit: www.amadeus.com/blog from January 11, 2012.

* Gamification refers to the application of game design thinking to non-game applications to make them more engaging. Gamification can potentially be applied to any industry and almost anything to create engaging experiences, converting users into players. Several industry experts have identified gamification as one of the most important trends in technology.

NFC Forum Members to Showcase Revolutionary Retail Solutions at NRF Event in New York, Jan. 16-17

Jan. 12, 2012, 10:22 a.m. EST

INSIDE Secure, Kovio, and ViVOtech Demonstrate Products in Booth #1951, ARTS Pavilion

WAKEFIELD, Mass., Jan 12, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The NFC Forum today announced that three of its members -- INSIDE Secure, Kovio, and ViVOtech -- are demonstrating applications that will change the way consumers with NFC-enabled mobile phones interact with the retail community. The NFC Forum is a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which gives retailers and manufacturers unique one-to-one marketing and loyalty-building opportunities at the point of sale and throughout the retail environment.

NFC technology is sparking a wide variety of innovations in retail, as well as areas such as access control, gaming, healthcare and wellness, hospitality, loyalty, marketing, mobile payment, mobile social media, and pairing of consumer electronics devices. The demonstrations highlight the broad range of NFC use cases that specifically benefit retailers, and they are being held in Booth #1951 of the ARTS Pavilion at the Annual Convention and Expo of the National Retail Federation (NRF) taking place at the Jacob Javits Center in New York.

INSIDE Secure, a Sponsor Member of the NFC Forum, with a seat on the Board of Directors, will demonstrate a product authentications service for the retail world. Kovio Inc., an Associate Member, will show how its NFC products and services will enable a completely new paradigm in the consumer's direct interaction with brands and retailers by enabling personalized, instantaneous, and contextual experiences at point of purchase and point of use. Kovio will also demonstrate the integration of its NFC products in item-level product packaging for shopper marketing, location-based advertising, and brand authentication. ViVOtech, Inc., an Associate member, will show its mobile marketing software platform, ViVOtouch, which allows merchants to deliver personalized offers, content, loyalty and prepaid cards in real time to shoppers' mobile phones. Offers and loyalty rewards can be redeemed with a single tap along with payment at a contactless point-of-sale terminal, redeemed visually via bar codes and coupon codes, or in the cloud. The personalized content is based on location, time, context, and user profile, helping drive consumers' behavior throughout their paths to purchase.

"NFC technology is an enhancement to the payment experience that finally brings direct benefits to the retailer and the consumer alike," said Debbie Arnold, NFC Forum Director. "Our NFC Forum member solutions are at the vanguard of this revolution, and we look forward to sharing them with NRF attendees."

"NFC is a backbone of mobile innovation in retail," said Richard Mader, Executive Director of the NRF's Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS). "We are very pleased that select NFC Forum members will be demonstrating ground-breaking mobile applications in the ARTS Pavilion that have the potential to revolutionize interactions between consumers and retailers."

About Near Field Communication Technology

NFC technology makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch.

A standards-based connectivity technology, NFC harmonizes today's diverse contactless technologies, enabling current and future solutions in areas such as access control, consumer electronics, healthcare, information collection and exchange, loyalty and coupons, payments, and transport.

NFC technology is supported by the world's leading communication device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, IT and services companies, and financial services organizations. NFC is compatible with hundreds of millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed worldwide.

About the NFC Forum

The NFC Forum was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 160+ global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.

The NFC Forum's Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: Barclaycard, Broadcom Corporation, INSIDE Secure, Intel, MasterCard Worldwide, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics, and Visa Inc.

SOURCE: NFC Forum

Visa and Better ATM Services® Debut First ATM-Dispensed Visa Gift Cards

January 10, 2012 08:00 AM Eastern Time 

Three Arizona Credit Unions Pilot First-of-its-Kind Gift Card Program

MESA, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) and Better ATM Services^® (www.betteratmservices.com), a technology innovator in the ATM industry, today announced the ability to dispense Visa Gift cards in addition to cash at existing ATMs, expanding the value and services delivered by ATMs. An in-market pilot program is currently underway offering Visa Gift cards at walk-up and drive-through ATMs in select locations throughout Arizona. Credit Union West, MariSol Federal Credit Union, and Pinal County Federal Credit Union are participating in the first pilot programs, and have already begun offering their members this quick and easy way to purchase Visa Gift cards.

“Our focus is on delivering value and convenience to our members who regularly purchase gift cards for special occasions”

“Our focus is on delivering value and convenience to our members who regularly purchase gift cards for special occasions,” said Robert W. MacGregor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Credit Union West. “We’re seeing gift cards become more popular as a way to give family and friends the opportunity to choose a gift they really want or need. Our relationship with Better ATM Services^® and Visa is a terrific way to meet our customer’s needs, while increasing our line of value driven products and services.”

With this introduction, ATM menu screens now include a “Purchase Visa Gift Card” option and prompt to designate the value to load on each card. Cards are available with no activation fee in $25 denominations during the pilot. The new ATM-dispensed Visa Gift card is made of a durable yet thinner material, which allows cards to easily pass through the cash mechanisms of ATMs.

Mesa, Arizona-based Better ATM Services^® is the technology innovator that conceived the groundbreaking, patented technology thatenables the secure and convenient sale of prepaid cards through ATMs. Better ATM Services^® CEO Todd L. Nuttall said this is just the first step. “When ATMs were first introduced in the 1970s, consumers began a love affair with the very best in time and place convenient banking services and today we continue to expand those benefits through new innovations. We are working with ATM manufacturers, independent sales organizations, and financial institutions to make ATM-dispensed gift cards a common offering at ATMs throughout the country,” said Nuttall.

“Our participation in this pilot with Better ATM Services^® and three Arizona credit unions is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting prepaid innovation and expanding access to Visa prepaid products; delivering value to our financial institution clients, consumers and merchants,” said Hyung Choi, Head of US Prepaid, Visa Inc.

According to Visa’s recent gift giving survey, 85 percent of U.S. consumers would appreciate receiving a branded gift card, like a Visa Gift card. More than eight in 10 consumers planned to give friends and family gift cards over the holiday shopping season, according to a survey by BIGresearch and the National Retail Federation (NRF). The study shows to date, gift cards are the most requested holiday gift – the fifth year in a row they have topped the list.

About Better ATM Services^®:

Better ATM Services^® (www.betteratmservices.com), a Mesa, Arizona-based company, supplies patented technology that enables an ATM to dispense gift cards and other prepaid media like currency. To find out more about this technology innovator, visitwww.betteratmservices.com or email pr@betteratmservices.com.

First Data Releases December 2011 SpendTrend®

January 10, 2012 09:00 AM Eastern Time 

Discounting Drove Consumer Spending Growth in December

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First Data Corporation, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment processing, today released its First Data SpendTrend^® analysis for the full month of December 2011 compared to December 2010. SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations.

“Consumer willingness to spend in December was based largely on the ability to find bargains and merchants utilized steep discounting to drive traffic”

Dollar volume growth on cards overall was a healthy 6.9% in December. However, strong auto sales, driven by low interest rates, likely diverted consumer spending to car sales from other retail areas. Auto sales are not captured in SpendTrend figures.

Overall year-over-year average tickets declined 0.1% in December, the first negative reading since January 2011. Merchants resorted to steep discounting to spur holiday traffic. Consumers responded favorably to bargain pricing, as overall transaction growth was up 7.0% in December. In particular, most retail merchant categories had higher sales growth in December versus November.

“Consumer willingness to spend in December was based largely on the ability to find bargains and merchants utilized steep discounting to drive traffic,” said Silvio Tavares, SVP and division manager of First Data Global Information and Analytics Solutions, which publishes SpendTrend.

Dec. Transaction Growth			CHANGE					Dec. Dollar Volume Growth			CHANGE
Credit			+6.1%					Credit			+6.8%
Signature Debit			+7.0%					Signature Debit			+6.2%
PIN Debit			+8.3%					PIN Debit			+7.9%
Check			-10.2%					Check			-5.9%
Note: All transactions are same-store growth.

For more information on First Data SpendTrend, visit www.firstdata.com/infoanalytics or call SpendTrend Customer Care at 800-430-0169. A supplementary podcast including further analysis of the SpendTrend December 2011 report is available here.

To participate in the SpendTrend conversation, please follow First Data at http://twitter.com/FirstData and join us athttp://on.fb.me/spendtrend.

Around the world, every second of every day, First Data makes payment transactions secure, fast and easy for merchants, financial institutions and their customers. First Data leverages its vast product portfolio and expertise to drive customer revenue and profitability. Whether the choice of payment is by debit or credit card, gift card, check or mobile phone, online or at the checkout counter, First Data takes every opportunity to go beyond the transaction.

First Data SpendTrend, a macro-economic indicator, is based on aggregate same-store sales activity in the First Data Point of Sale Network. First Data SpendTrend does not represent First Data’s financial performance.

TSYS Signs Payment Services Agreement with Pivotal Payments

Image via CrunchBase

January 10, 2012 09:00 AM Eastern Time 

COLUMBUS, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TSYS (NYSE: TSS) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Pivotal Payments to serve as the preferred provider of authorization, settlement and dispute resolution services for the North America-based company. With more than 60,000 merchants and processing in excess of $10 billion in credit card payments annually, Pivotal Payments will leverage TSYS’ proven payment solutions to enable the capture of additional market share.

“Pivotal Payments has created one of the fastest growing and most successful organizations in the payments industry, and TSYS is set to be a catalyst to aid in its continued growth.”

“We are extremely excited to be Pivotal Payment’s preferred partner,” said Mark Pyke, president of TSYS Merchant Services. “Pivotal Payments has created one of the fastest growing and most successful organizations in the payments industry, and TSYS is set to be a catalyst to aid in its continued growth.”

“We are pleased and confident with our selection of TSYS as a preferred partner,” said Philip Fayer, president and chief executive officer, Pivotal Payments. “After a very thorough selection process, TSYS clearly rose to the top. Its reputation for unparalleled service, commitment to the TSYS ‘Customer Covenant’, and ability to execute were all key factors in our selection.”

Open, Says Me: Continental Turns Smartphones into Clever Car Keys

With modern information technology and intelligent networking, Continental showcases new comfort and service functions at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Electronics Show -- As part of the industry megatrend of information, international automotive supplier Continental is focusing on a very special key experience at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Continental is showing how car drivers will be able to open and start their vehicles in future by using their cell phone. For this purpose, one of the market leaders in electronic vehicle access systems is developing a virtual car key integrated in a mobile phone that wirelessly swaps data with the chosen vehicle. This key within a cell phone also makes it possible to personalize vehicles and exchange information to an extent never before seen, and paves the way for new, intelligent mobility concepts. "The secret of success for new innovations in the automotive industry continues to be derived from ease of use, intuitive operation and a way of functioning that seems almost like magic. More and more often, the basis of these innovations is the ever tighter networking of the consumer electronics industry with the automotive industry, and the digital car key in the cell phone is an excellent example of just that," explains Helmut Matschi, Executive Board member of Continental AG and head of the Interior division. "Various information channels play an ever greater role in our lives, and Continental makes sure that, thanks to intelligent processing of information, drivers can concentrate on what's important – driving the car."

The technology for the key experience

The virtual cell phone car key hinges on a forge-proof data packet stored in encrypted format on the cell phone's SIM card. The actual access authorization is checked and exchanged between cell phone and vehicle via a wireless interface (Near Field Communication – NFC). The data is transmitted over a very short distance from a transmitter in the phone to a NFC reader in the vehicle. A receiver in the dashboard then verifies the digital key in the cell phone when the car is started.

Key technology for many new functions expands Simplify your Drive

With its Simplify your Drive concept, Continental has already demonstrated that networking different vehicle domains with an optimized human machine interface creates a whole new driving experience. Thanks to the networking of the various systems, a wide variety of functions can now be adapted to the driver's preferences automatically with the cell phone key. The individual settings for the infotainment system, such as favorite radio stations, popular navigation destinations or preferred internet applications from AutoLinQ are connected with the key. With the help of an app, the location of a parked car will be saved automatically, creating a car finder tool out of the cell phone – particularly useful in large parking lots and when sharing one car. When NFC technology is used, the cell phone can also be charged wirelessly during travel. Continental is offering vehicle manufacturers a package of hardware, software and infrastructure services. Continental is working with telecom companies to deliver services like Deutsche Telekom's "mobile wallet" for storing and organizing the electronic car key in the cell phone. This enables customers also to organize their bank account or credit card data and to pay car sharing or car rental services.

Key stimulus for establishing new mobility services

Together with its partners, Continental is using its new key technology to help out with the growing number of innovative mobility concepts that rental cars and car-sharing rely on. With all these projects, handing over the vehicle key has constituted one of the most sensitive and often complicated points. After all, even though people can locate and reserve a car on the internet at any time, day or night, they still have to somehow get the key from the person who last used the car. Nowadays, at least some special safety boxes or mailboxes are required, but with the technology from Continental and the mobile wallet of Deutsche Telekom, internet access does the trick. After the customer has selected a vehicle on the website and received a confirmation notice the temporary digital key from Continental and the drivers profile is loaded onto the cell phone's SIM card via a secure data link. At the same time, the cell phone receives the license plate number and the location of the car. At the Continental hospitality salon during CES, Continental will demonstrate just how easy such a car sharing system could be to operate in the future using NFC technology.

Information holds the key to the vehicle functions of the future

Whether it is intelligent tires, predictive transmission controls, intelligent accelerator pedals or digital car keys in mobile phones, Continental is working with automotive manufacturers all over the world to develop products and systems that provide solutions for future mobility concepts for greater efficiency, safer road transport and more comfortable driving with the help of state-of-the-art information processing. "Its portfolio – and particularly that of its Interior division – puts Continental in an excellent position to meet the challenges of the future in the fields of information processing and presentation," commented Matschi.

Continental will showcase a version of this technology during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, January 8-13, 2012.  Continental will host a private hospitality salon during the event, and executives will be on hand for on-site interviews to share additional information about these and other Continental technologies.

With sales of EUR 26 billion in 2010, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently has approximately 164,000 employees in 45 countries.

SOURCE Continental