Monday, May 16, 2011

VeriFone Announces PAYMEDIA for Secure PumpPAY

May 16, 2011 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time 
Pay-at-the-Pump Media Program Brings Entertaining Content to Consumers and Bottom-Line Profits for Convenience Retailers
NACStech 2011
Booth #925
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY), today announced PAYMEDIA for its PCI 2.0-approved Secure PumpPAY solution for pay-at-the-pump. PAYMEDIA is designed to deliver an entertaining and engaging mix of content and advertising to enhance the customer’s experience at the gas pump while generating profits for convenience operators.
“VeriFone continues to look for ways to enhance the fueling experience for the consumer while also generating additional revenue from the gas sale for our customers”
PAYMEDIA for Secure PumpPAY is driven by the VeriFone Digital Network (VNET), currently playing in more than 10,000 taxi cabs throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. VNET provides consumers with an engaging blend of news, weather, and lifestyle programming while also delivering targeted advertisements and promotions. Additionally, VeriFone’s Media sales team will actively sell and market advertising to national ad buyers.


“VeriFone continues to look for ways to enhance the fueling experience for the consumer while also generating additional revenue from the gas sale for our customers,” said Dan Yienger, VeriFone vice president for petroleum sales. “PAYMEDIA for Secure PumpPAY couldn’t be easier for the retailer -- just install the device and let VeriFone do the rest.”
Secure PumpPAY provides a very cost effective way for fuel retailers to upgrade existing fuel pumps to full PCI 2.0 approval. With retrofit kits available for virtually every dispenser type, VeriFone’s Secure PumpPAY is packed with security features that go beyond current PCI standards, including support for EMV and chip and PIN payments. It provides a rugged and secure pump payment solution that is user-friendly and highly suited to brightly display the dynamic PAYMEDIA content.
PAYMEDIA for Secure PumpPAY delivers media at eye-level and ensures content only plays when a consumer is actively fueling at the dispenser. Petroleum retailers can use the program to promote their own products and services or generate additional revenue by selling advertisements to local businesses. Promotions can be created and scheduled through an intuitive web-based media portal or the VeriFone Media team can work with gasoline retailers to create compelling promotions.
PAYMEDIA for Secure PumpPAY is available now from select VeriFone Authorized Distributors.
Additional Resources:
About VeriFone Systems, Inc. (www.verifone.com)
VeriFone Systems, Inc. (“VeriFone”) (NYSE: PAY) is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.

Contacts

Editorial Contact:
VeriFone Media Relations
Pete Bartolik, 508-283-4112
pete_bartolik@verifone.com
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One Minute Guide to NFC

From LiveMint

Who am I

I, near field communication (NFC), am a technology that can be used to transmit data. I am relevant because I will help you completely get rid of your wallet. All you have to do is wave your cellphone near the contact point instead of swiping your credit or debit card or paying cash to make a payment.  
According to www.nearfieldcommunicationsworld.com, a website dedicated to following developments of technology, there are as many as 200 trials across the globe including a few in India. For instance, Citibank ran a six-month pilot in Bangalore called “Tap and Pay”. It was concluded in December 2009 and released a white paper in 2010. Tata Docomo is also currently running it on a pilot basis in Hyderabad. On a global level, Japan is a leader in this field where it is being used for day-to-day transactions.

Where can I be used
I can be used for a wide range of financial transactions, such as retail payment, at toll plazas and ticketing counters in metros. I can replace not just cash but also credit cards, debit cards. I can also be used to replace smart cards used for non-financial purposes such as gift coupons and identity card used to mark attendance.

How can you use me
To use me, you would either require an NFC-enabled cellphone or SIM card. While cellphone makers such as Samsung, Apple and Nokia are working on NFC-enabled cellphones, payment companies such as VISA and MasterCard are working to develop NFC-enabled SIM cards. It consists of a magnetic chip which is similar to the magnetic strips on your credit/debit cards. It stores all the relevant data about your user account.

How I work
My range is just about 4cm. To make a payment you would have to bring the cellphone close to the NFC chip reader and authenticate the transaction. The transaction could be authenticated by an alphanumeric password, fingerprint or security token. For payments such as those at a toll plaza, an authentication may not be required at all, as the balance will be deducted from your prepaid account.

What’s good about me
Because of my short range, I am a lot more secure mode of transmitting data over bluetooth and radio frequency identification. This may make me the preferred choice in the future for transmission of financial data such as payments.
However, consumer psychologists worry that the convenience and speed offered by me will lead to an increase in impulse shopping. The infrastructure required for the technology is also being developed.
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DOCOMO and Twitter Plan NFC Service

Image representing Docomo as depicted in Crunc...Image via CrunchBase

DOCOMO to Develop New Services by Working with Twitter


TOKYO, JAPAN, May 13, 2011 --- NTT DOCOMO, INC. today announced that it has reached an agreement with Twitter, Inc. under which DOCOMO will leverage its mobile expertise, with support from Twitter, to develop innovative applications and services incorporating Twitter™ features for DOCOMO feature phones and smartphones.
One of the envisioned services will bring richer search results to DOCOMO customers. Real-time Tweets™ and other Twitter content will be added to the search results on the DOCOMO “i-mode” portal for feature phones and the “docomo market” portal for smartphones. DOCOMO expects to launch the service for feature phones this summer and for smartphones later this year or early next year.
DOCOMO also plans to update an existing “touch and follow” application for feature phones, which will allow two DOCOMO customers to begin following each other quickly and easily by simply placing their feature phones together to exchange follow permissions via the NFC data transmission function of DOCOMO phones.
About NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO is a world-leading mobile operator and growing provider of comprehensive services centered on mobility. The company serves over 58 million customers in Japan via advanced wireless networks, including a nationwide 3G network and one of the world’s first commercial LTE networks. Leveraging its unique capabilities as a mobile operator, DOCOMO is a leading developer of cutting-edge technologies for NFC mobile payments, mobile GPS, mobile TV, intuitive mobile assistance, environmental monitoring, smart grids and much more. Overseas, the company provides technical and operational expertise to eight mobile operators and other partner companies. NTT DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM) stock exchanges. Please visit www.nttdocomo.com for more information.
Twitter is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc.
i-mode is a trademark or registered trademark of NTT DOCOMO, INC. in Japan and/or other countries.

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Banks Face Debit Card Fee Dilemma, says Auriemma

May 16, 2011 06:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Banks Face Dilemma with Debit Card Fees, says Auriemma Consulting Group

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With implementation of the Durbin Amendment delayed until July, the suspense continues about how much interchange will be cut. In the meantime, bankers are trying to figure out how to introduce what they know will be hugely unpopular fees. The most recent study by The Debit Report, a syndicated monthly publication of Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG), shows that only 12% of debit card holders currently pay an annual fee, while another 20% have minimum balance requirements. The other two-thirds, accustomed to free checking/debit cards, will offer a challenge to marketers.
“ACG research has consistently shown that consumers react more strongly to the payment amount than to the total cost of service”
“ACG research has consistently shown that consumers react more strongly to the payment amount than to the total cost of service,” said Dr. Patricia A. Sahm, Managing Director at ACG. “A majority of The Debit Report respondents would prefer a $5 monthly fee for a checking/debit card account over an annual fee of $12 and a per-transaction fee of 7 cents. Given their average of 18 debit card transactions per month, it would be less than $30 annually, compared to $60 for the monthly payment option.”
By a large margin, debit card holders would rather give up their rewards program than pay annual or transaction fees. About a third of the consumers surveyed got rewards for their debit card usage, and these incentives are effective in diverting more spending to the card. Debit card holders with rewards put $626 of their monthly spending on that card, compared to $346 for non-rewards cards. Of course, if bankers stop getting revenue from debit card transaction, they may be incented instead to discourage usage.
There are other ways in which Durbin-induced fees could have unintended consequences, noted Sahm. “Minimum-balance requirements are more palatable than maintenance fees, especially for more affluent customers. As we move from an environment where no-fee debit/checking is the norm, the desire to avoid fees may help banks with deposit and asset-gathering, giving them more opportunity in investment and wealth management.”
About Auriemma Consulting Group
Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG) is a full-service management consulting firm serving the payments and lending industries since 1984. The Debit Report is ACG’s syndicated market research study of debit card holders, conducted quarterly in the U.S. With offices in New York and London, ACG consultants are experienced practitioners, drawn from the credit, debit, and prepaid cards, private label, auto finance, mortgage, and retail banking industries that we serve.

Contacts

Auriemma Consulting Group
Dr. Patricia A. Sahm, 212-323-7000
patricia.sahm@acg.net
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American Express OPEN® Launches AdManager to Level the Playing Field for Small Businesses that Market Online

May 16, 2011 10:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time 
Display Advertising Seen as Linchpin to Successful Online Marketing
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Express OPEN today launched AdManager (www.admanager.com), a tool for helping small businesses create, target and measure the results of their online advertising campaigns. Typically designed for larger enterprises with bigger marketing budgets, software tools for managing digital ad campaigns are traditionally too expensive and often too complicated for time-stretched entrepreneurs.
Consumers are spending more and more time online – the average US household spends 13 hours online per week1 – and marketers are following them there. eMarketer data shows that in 2010 display advertising spend reached nearly $6.6B and is expected to grow to $8.1B by 2014.AdManager simplifies the inherently onerous process by offering a start-to-finish platform that tackles every facet of building and sustaining campaigns, from creating ads to determining where they will appear. AdManager is powered by AdReady, creators of award-winning software that enables marketers to master online display advertising. AdManager is American Express OPEN’s latest Business App, a suite of software products that help small businesses market their products and services, increase margins and improve cash flow.
“AdManager aims to bridge the gap between business owners’ current knowledge of the display advertising space and potential customers that are spending more time online,” says Robert Ciccone, vice president, American Express OPEN. “Display ads have inherent advantages over other types of online marketing and increase engagement when paired with paid search campaigns – also referred to as pay-per-click campaigns.”
Some companies have seen as much as a 22 percent increase in click-through rates when they run search and display campaigns together. 2
About AdManager
AdManager combines creative templates and testing capabilities with media-buying software to deliver a complete, easy-to-use, customizable platform. The tool enables users to create distinct ads in the seven most popular Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) standard sizes and works to target prospective customers on top ad networks, exchanges and publishers such as Google Network, DoubleClick Exchange, RightMedia, Yahoo! Network, AppNexus and Microsoft, by geography or interest.
AdManager also lets users quickly and easily test key messages against audience segments to find the best combinations. It includes detailed campaign reporting tools that let users optimize campaigns and maximize return on investment by shifting budget to higher performing creative and testing different offers.
To meet the myriad needs of small business advertisers, AdManager is offered in three versions:
  • AdManager Pro helps business owners diversify existing online marketing efforts and are getting started in display advertising. The tool offers subscribers the “Get Started” package, comprehensive online reporting and help from a display specialist.
  • AdManager Pro for Marketing Agencies delivers a product that integrates seamlessly with existing systems and client campaigns. Client-based tracking and pricing functionality helps agencies better manage specific campaigns.
  • AdManager Premium combines the benefits of Pro with a dedicated display advisor and bi-weekly status check-ins by phone or email. The product is designed for small businesses that want to create new or manage existing display ad campaigns.
  • AdManager Elite offers full-service campaign management for business owners interested in a more hands-off approach. Users will have access to a dedicated display specialist, weekly status check-ins by phone or email and unlimited new creative.
Coupling Search and Display Campaigns
AdManager is the second marketing application in the Business Apps suite. The first was SearchManager, an online solution for managing paid search campaigns across all major search ad networks, including Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search Marketing, Microsoft AdCenter and Facebook Ads, via a centralized dashboard.
AdManager helps make digital display advertising work similarly to search advertising by allowing users to optimize campaigns and maximize return-on-investment by shifting budget to higher performing ads. When combined with a search campaign, display advertising provides a significant lift in onsite engagement, and an increase in online purchasing by consumers exposed to integrated campaigns.
About Business Apps
OPEN Business Apps are a suite of online business tools that complement OPEN’s card products for small businesses. The Business Apps portfolio includes:
  • AcceptPay – A web-based tool that allows small business owners to accept online payments and electronically invoice customers – all in one place;
  • InsuranceEdge – An online portal that offers small business owners real-time, competitive quotes from some of the nation’s leading insurance carriers;
  • FX International Payments from American Express – A service that allows businesses to make international wire transfers.
  • SearchManager – An online solution that allows business owners to easily manage paid search campaigns across all major search ad networks, including Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search Marketing, Microsoft AdCenter, and even Facebook Ads – via a centralized dashboard.
  • Ariba Discovery – Ariba Discovery is a next-generation online business matching service that helps buyers and sellers connect quickly and efficiently for new business opportunities.
  • AdManager – a start-to-finish, easy-to-use online tool designed to help small businesses create, optimize and target online display advertising campaigns on top ad networks, exchanges and branded publishers, such as Google, Yahoo!, and Facebook.
1 “Understanding the Changing Needs Of The US Online Consumer”, Forrester Research.
2 “Where can you find your customer?”, Research study from The Atlas Institute
About American Express OPEN®
American Express OPEN is the leading payment card issuer for small businesses in the United States and supports business owners with products and services to help them run and grow their businesses. This includes business charge and credit cards that deliver purchasing power, flexibility, rewards, savings on business services from an expanded lineup of partners, and software-as-a-service applications designed to help with cash flow, marketing and business expenses. Learn more at www.OPEN.com and connect with us at openforum.com, twitter.com/openforum and facebook.com/open.
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more atwww.americanexpress.com and connect with us on www.facebook.com/americanexpress, www.twitter.com/americanexpress and www.youtube.com/americanexpress.
About AdReady
AdReady is powerful software that enables any marketer to master online advertising. Unlike time-intensive, inefficient approaches that don’t get the job done, AdReady simplifies the process with an intuitive start-to-finish solution that improves advertising ROI by successfully reaching and converting digital consumers where they live. More than 6,000 customers in the U.S. have run more than 560,000 ads across nearly 150,000 sites through the AdReady solution. AdReady has been recognized for “Best Ad Delivery Platform Innovation” by the Digital Publishing and Advertising Conference and “Service Provider of the Year” by the Washington Technology Industry Association. To learn more, please visit www.adready.com, follow us on Twitter @AdReady, or find us onFacebook.

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Tabbedout Certified on Dinerware POS System

Image representing TabbedOut as depicted in Cr...Image via CrunchBase
http://www.tabbedout.com
May 16, 2011 09:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Tabbedout Certified on Dinerware POS System

Leading POS vendor certifies mobile payment solution that lets consumers open, view and pay tabs with a smartphone
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tabbedout, the secure and convenient way to open, view and pay your tab with a smartphone, is now certified on Dinerware, Inc., a leading developer of hospitality POS (point of sale) software. The certification means more restaurant and bar locations across the country will now offer a mobile payment option, making mobile payments for consumers a reality today.
“Integrating with a POS leader like Dinerware expands the availability of our unique mobile payment solution to a broad network of bars and restaurants”
Tabbedout, available for free on both iPhone and Android smartphones, enables Dinerware merchants to improve staff efficiencies, eliminate credit card handling issues and enhance overall customer experience. With Tabbedout, the customer shows their server a code from the Tabbedout mobile application to start a tab without the need for a physical credit card. Unlike other mobile payment solutions, Tabbedout allows users to store credit card information directly on their phone, under passphrase protection, instead of on host servers. Consumers are safe from the threat of lost or stolen credit cards and can open, view and pay their tab at their own pace and share their social experiences with friends via Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, all within the application.
“The Dinerware open platform allows us to provide innovative add-on solutions like Tabbedout’s mobile payment solution,” stated Jeff Riley, Dinerware CEO. “As part of our mission, the team at Dinerware strives to provide our customers with complete control of their Dinerware POS platform. This includes giving our customers the ability to choose the technology partners they use to support their business without limitations being placed on them by Dinerware or our products. We certify these add-on products to help ensure customers that they can expect a high quality integration that works reliably over time.”
Lanai Rooftop Lounge in Austin, TX recently incorporated Tabbedout in its Dinerware point-of-sale system. Lanai managers and servers found Tabbedout easy to use and also helped their staff be more efficient without requiring time-consuming training or additional equipment purchases. Tabbedout works seamlessly with the Dinerware point-of-sale system’s open platform so Lanai guests are now able to open, view and pay their tabs at their convenience.
“Lanai Rooftop Lounge is focused on creating a unique guest experience which is only enhanced through Tabbedout. Enabling customers to start and settle tabs when they want to gives us more time to serve them and make sure they are having a great experience,” commented Lesliann Nemeth, general manager, Lanai Rooftop Lounge.
“Integrating with a POS leader like Dinerware expands the availability of our unique mobile payment solution to a broad network of bars and restaurants,” said Rick Orr, CEO, Tabbedout. “This is key to our vision of making mobile payments an everyday simple and secure process that allows customers to maximize their time out with friends while generating material new revenue for Tabbedout venues."
About Dinerware
Dinerware provides restaurant (point of sale) systems to fine dining, cafes, nightclubs, bars, fast casual, counter service, QSR (quick serve), hotels, casinos, golf courses and wineries. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington and sold worldwide, Dinerware provides intuitive systems for the hospitality industry. For a free trial download, visit http://www.dinerware.com or call (866) 346-3792.
About Tabbedout
Tabbedout® is the mobile payment solution that enables consumers to open, view and pay a bar or restaurant tab with their phone. Tabbedout makes mobile payment a simple and secure process that is widely available, so bars and restaurants can spend more time with their customers. The free Tabbedout mobile app for iPhone and Android lets consumers open a tab with their mobile phone, view their tab in real-time and pay the tab anytime, anywhere, giving them control over how and when they pay. For more information, visit: http://www.tabbedout.com/ or contactsales@tabbedout.com to learn more about becoming a Tabbedout partner.

Contacts

INK Public Relations
Allison Glass, 512-382-8987
allison@ink-pr.com

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Prepaid Card Holdings, Inc. Changes Name to PrepaYd, Inc...but Y?

May 16, 2011 09:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Prepaid Card Holdings, Inc. Changes Name to PrepaYd, Inc.

Stock Symbol and Business to Remain the Same
http://www.PrepaYdInc.comNEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Prepaid Card Holdings, Inc. (OTC:PPDC) announced today that it has changed its name to PrepaYd, Inc. The Company notified FINRA of the corporate action and has received notification from FINRA that the company’s name change took effect on May 12th 2011. The purpose of the name change is to match the Company’s new brand, “PrepaYd”, and to reflect the expansion of the Company’s business plan to provide additional prepaid products besides prepaid debit cards.
About PrepaYd, Inc. FKA Prepaid Card Holdings, Inc.
PrepaYd , Inc. is a provider of financial services in the prepaid debit card industry. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, offers prepaid debit cards to America’s estimated 60 million underbanked citizens. In addition to the underbanked consumer demographic, small and mid-size businesses have found a much needed product with the company’s Prepaid Business Expense Card Program. With the diminishing credit card markets, companies need a new way to fund employees’ expenses other than through traditional credit cards or cash reimbursements. For more information about Prepaid Card Holdings, Inc. visit www.PrepaYdInc.com.
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MasterCard Launches World Elite MasterCard Campaign Highlighting New Features and Cardholder Benefits

May 16, 2011 09:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time 
Offers Cardholders Superior Travel Services and Exclusive Access to Priceless Experiences
PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MasterCard Worldwide today launched a marketing campaign to raise awareness of new and enhanced features to World Elite MasterCard®, the company’s premium card offering in the U.S. In addition to providing affluent consumers with superior card benefits, rewards and services they expect, the refreshed World Elite product features a premium MasterCard brand mark that visually distinguishes the card from other MasterCard cards.
“The enhanced World Elite MasterCard delivers stronger rewards and greater value to affluent consumers, while providing our issuers with additional program options and providing select merchant partners access to high-spending cardholders”
“The enhanced World Elite MasterCard delivers stronger rewards and greater value to affluent consumers, while providing our issuers with additional program options and providing select merchant partners access to high-spending cardholders,” said Edward Olebe, group head, U.S. Consumer Credit, MasterCard Worldwide. “Our World Elite cardholders can expect superior service and support around the world, whether at home or abroad.”
Offering Cardholders the Ultimate in Global Service
Factors like rewards, personalized services and unique experiences influence consumers’ decisions to use or keep a card product. According to MasterCard research, 26 percent of affluent consumers say the availability of 24/7 live customer service impacts their decision to keep or use a card, and 19 percent say the same about concierge or assistant services. An additional 55 percent of affluent consumers feel the need to satisfy their hunger for new experiences. World Elite MasterCard helps meet this need by providing access to exclusive dining, sports, travel and other experiences, as well as core travel services and global concierge support.
New World Elite Advertising Campaign
Beginning today, new features of World Elite MasterCard will be highlighted in print and online advertising, and will highlight specific cardholder portfolios.
“From the beginning, our marketing efforts were focused on creating awareness of the unique value and benefits of World Elite MasterCard and driving preference among its existing cardholders,” said Cheryl Guerin, group head, U.S. Marketing, MasterCard Worldwide. “By personalizing the cardholder’s experiences with the card, we also hope to create increased demand among prospective customers.”
The advertisements will focus on three different product attributes that include:
  • MasterCard Global Concierge Service – This service provides World Elite MasterCard cardholders with comprehensive, personalized assistance accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The specially trained team is the single source for securing dinner reservations, tickets to events, coordinating business arrangements, locating hard-to-find items or booking travel to or from nearly anywhere in the world.
  • MasterCard® PriceAssureTM – This service can help enrolled MasterCard cardholders take advantage of little-known airline credits for savings on future travel. PriceAssure will track airfare prices for qualified flight itineraries and will send alerts if the price of their flight drops below what they paid, net of airline change fees. MasterCard also offers complimentary, specialized customer service to help World Elite cardholders handle the legwork of obtaining airline credits with the airlines.
  • PGA TOUR® Player Golf Experience – Through this exclusive package, eligible cardholders can receive exclusive “play like the pros” access to select TPC® courses that host PGA TOUR events – including TPC Sawgrass and TPC Blue Monster at Doral. Among some of the possible players-only features are a professional caddie with the cardholder’s name on the bib, use of the PGA TOUR Professional locker room with personalized locker name plate and lunch in the players’ dining room.
For more information, visit www.mastercard.com/worldelite.
About MasterCard Worldwide
As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2010, $2.7 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network – the fastest payment processing network in the world – MasterCard processes over 23 billion transactions each year and has the capacity to handle 160 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 130 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl®. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com/worldelite. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnews.

Contacts

Media:
MasterCard Worldwide,
Dwain Schenck, 1-914-249-4199, dwain_schenck@mastercard.com
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Bank of America Launches Small Business Charge Cards

May 16, 2011 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time 
Three New Charge Cards Provide More Choice and Control for Small Business Payment and Financial Management Needs
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bank of America today announced a suite of small business charge cards designed to give small businesses more choice and control over their payment and expense management needs.
http://www.bankofamerica.com
“Our small business clients tell us they need products that offer straightforward solutions,” said Chip Rossi, Bank of America Unsecured Borrowing and Small Business Products executive. “Charge cards provide small business owners with another option for their payment needs – combining the convenience of short-term credit with the ability to manage their spending and cash flow.”
Unlike credit cards, charge cards require payment in full every month, enabling greater control over expenses without finance charges. The cards will be available through Bank of America banking centers and at bankofamerica.com later this month.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. That’s why Bank of America has taken so many steps to provide small business owners with the tools, resources and opportunities they need to run their businesses more effectively,” said Dean Athanasia, Bank of America mass affluent and small business executive. “We are doing more now than ever to understand the changing needs of our small business clients so we can provide them with the best value for their banking relationship.”
The suite of charge cards includes Business Charge™, Business Charge™ with WorldPoints® Rewards and Business Preferred World MasterCard®.
Business Charge is the choice for small business owners who want a straightforward solution for business purchases and vendor payments – with no annual fee. Key features include:
  • Free employee cards and ability to set individual credit limits.
  • Zero liability protection for unauthorized transactions.
  • Expense management tools and customized spending reports.
  • Acceptance at more than 31 million MasterCard merchant locations worldwide.
Business Charge with WorldPoints provides all the features of the Business Charge card plus a rewards program:
  • Earn one WorldPoints reward point for every $1 spent on purchases.
  • Redeem points for cash, gift cards, travel and brand-name merchandise.
  • No blackout dates for travel or limit on points.
  • Annual fee of $49 is waived the first year and will continue to be waived each year for clients with an open Business Economy, Business Advantage or Business Analysis Checking account at Bank of America.
Business Preferred Charge offers the suite’s most robust rewards options and is designed for businesses with higher monthly spending needs. The card features world-class rewards, service and solutions, including:
  • No pre-set spending limit.
  • Enhanced rewards program with 10,000 bonus points after first purchase, 10,000 anniversary points each year and no expiration on points.
  • Double points on all airline and hotel purchases for the first 12 months.
  • Direct access to a Business Preferred service specialist.
  • Ability to set employee credit lines and limit employee card purchases to specific merchant categories.
  • Complimentary identity theft protection service.
  • Annual fee of $125 is waived for the first year and will continue to be waived each year for clients with an open Business Advantage Checking or Business Analysis Checking account at Bank of America.
The features and rewards of each card in the charge card suite were designed by Bank of America and MasterCard in response to the specific needs of small business clients in today’s environment. In addition to focus groups and client research, a survey of small business owners conducted by Bank of America and MasterCard found that small business owners identified “full payment of monthly charges,” “merchant acceptance” and “ease of record keeping” as the most appealing features of a charge card.
“Today’s announcement represents our collaborative effort to provide small business owners with the tools and flexibility they want to help them tackle the financial challenges that come with managing their business,” said Eugene DeSilva, senior business leader, U.S. Commercial Products, MasterCard Worldwide. “With this charge card, small business owners can better structure and manage their monthly operating budgets, while maximizing the rewards and benefits that come with being a MasterCard and Bank of America customer.”
The new charge card products are part of Bank of America’s ongoing commitment to meet small business owners’ credit, deposit and cash management needs. Other efforts initiated by Bank of America to help small businesses include:
  • Extending major provisions of the Card Act to small business credit cards, such as no rate increases on existing balances, at least 45 days’ advance notice on any rate changes on future balances, no fee for going over the credit limit and minimum of 25 days from statement closing date to payment due date.
  • Expanding the bank’s industry-leading Clarity Commitment® – a one-page summary of customer rates, fees and payment information – to its two million small business credit card accounts.
  • Extending $18 billion of credit to small business in 2010, up from $16.5 billion in 2009.
  • Committing to hire over 1,000 small business bankers throughout 2011 and into early 2012. These bankers will serve as a dedicated resource for small business owners, helping them assess their companies’ deposit, credit and cash management needs.
  • Continuing to award $10 million in Community Development Financial Institution grants to nonprofit lenders for use as loan loss reserves required to access federal microlending capital.
  • Increasing spending with small, medium-sized and diverse businesses through a commitment to purchase $10 billion in products and services from those suppliers over five years.
  • Enhancing the Advisor AllianceTM retirement plan platform, which serves more than 900,000 people from more than 40,000 businesses. Advisor Alliance combines Merrill Lynch investment and advisory services with a choice of diverse, committed partners to provide competitive recordkeeping and plan administration services for businesses’ retirement plan needs.
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 58 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,800 retail banking offices and approximately 18,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
MasterCard Worldwide
As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2010, $2.7 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network – the fastest payment processing network in the world – MasterCard processes over 23 billion transactions each year and has the capacity to handle 160 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 130 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl®. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnews.
www.bankofamerica.com

Contacts

Reporters May Contact:
Betty Riess, Bank of America, 1.415.913.4416
betty.riess@bankofamerica.com
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Payment Data Systems Reports 30% Growth in Revenue

May 16, 2011 04:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time 
Reports First Quarter Results
SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Payment Data Systems (OTCBB:PYDS), an integrated electronic payments solutions provider, today announced the financial results for the first quarter ended March, 31, 2011.
Revenues for the first quarter 2011 increased by 30% over the same period in 2010 to $785,262 from $602,488. Operating loss improved by 26% to $144,017 for the 2011 quarter from $194,346 in the first quarter 2010. Net loss for the quarter increased to $144,017 from $140,055 in first quarter in 2010 but the adjusted net income for 2011 quarter was $906 after adding back non-cash stock-based compensation expenses of $133,650, depreciation of $1,273, and stock issuance of $10,000.
Our transaction growth in Q1 of 2011 was up 23% from the same time period in 2010 and our dollars processed was up 36% over the same time periods.
For our complete financial results please view our 10Q that was filed today.
Michael Long, Chief Executive Officer of Payment Data Systems, said, "It is clear that we are carrying the momentum of 2010 into 2011. As we have in the past we remain debt free and continue to be sustained by own cash flow. We continue to have a positive outlook for the 2011 calendar year. I think these are exciting times for Payment Data Systems and the year should support that outlook.”
About Payment Data Systems, Inc.
Payment Data Systems is an integrated payment solutions provider to merchants and billers. The organization provides an extensive set of products to deliver world-class payment acceptance. Payment Data has solutions for merchants, billers, banks, service bureaus and card issuers. The strength of the company is its ability to offer specifically tailored solutions for card issuance, payment acceptance and bill payments.
For additional information, visit www.paymentdata.com. Contact Michael Long for Investor Relations information at 210.249.4040 or email at ir@paymentdata.com.

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