Paralan Kiosk now offers the add-on option to transactions customers via payment kiosks to integrate a tested and certified Battery Backup Power. The UPS allows existing transactions to complete when a power outage occurs and provides up to 30 minutes of automatic backup power depending on kiosk usage.
Costa Mesa, CA-based Payoff has added Arkadi Kuhlmann, CEO of Zenbanx to its Board. Kuhlmann is a serial entrepreneur, best known for founding ING Direct.
Better ATM Services announced changes to its leadership team to accelerate the company’s plan for profitable growth. Howard Green will assume the role of Acting President and Chief Executive Officer. He will be leading Better ATM Services’ next phase of growth with a particular focus on go-to-market strategies, creating new product commercialization opportunities and expanding leadership resources. In addition, technology industry standouts Mark Olson and Dan Perez are joining Better ATM Services’ Board of Directors. Current President and CEO Todd Nuttall will assume the role of EVP, Enabling Technologies.
Better ATM Services has inaugurated a reseller network with the signing of its first agreement with Express Teller Services. Express Teller Services EFT financial service products for financial institutions and retailers can now allow third party ISOs and IADs to offer ATM-issued Visa gift cards and other prepaid products expanding their services to financial institutions. Express Teller Services becomes the exclusive reseller for credit unions in Arizona through the reseller accord. The pact builds upon the strong partnership between Better ATM Services and Express Teller Services, which began when Express Teller Services piloted Better ATM Services’ pioneering, patented technology with Arizona-area credit unions. Visa prepaid gift cards and Discover MyGift multi-merchant gift cards will initially be offered at three First American Credit Union locations in Southern and Northeast Arizona, and New Mexico.
NWP Services Corporation (NWP) utility cost recovery and management solutions has been validated as compliant with PCI DSS as a Level 1 service provider for the fourth consecutive year through Trustwave. Trustwave is provider of PCI DSS compliance management solutions. Moreover, NWP has enrolled in Trustwave’s on-demand compliance management solution, TrustKeeper, to maintain compliance with the PCI DSS and access the necessary tools to support on-going compliance such as external vulnerability scans.
Better ATM Services has begun to issue its “myGIFT” card ATM-issued multibrand prepaid card. The “myGIFT” One Card Many Choices Discover Prepaid Card allows consumers to shop at premier, nationally recognized restaurant and retail stores including Macy’s, Lowe’s, Outback Steakhouse, and Bonefish Grill. Cards are redeemable to buy goods and services at specific merchants that accept Discover cards. The “myGIFT” cards will be available at walk-up Banner Federal Credit Union ATMs at eleven select Banner Health ATM locations. The new ATM-dispensed card is made of a thin, durable material allowing cards to easily pass through an ATMs’ cash mechanisms and works like any other prepaid card.
Better ATM Services is set to expand the ATM-dispensed Visa prepaid card program throughout the U.S. The decision to grow the program followed the enthusiastic response from consumers and financial institutions during an in-market pilot program conducted through financial institutions in Arizona. Better ATM Services enabled ATMs at participating pilot financial institutions to use on-screen options and minor hardware adjustments to allow customers to purchase Visa prepaid cards directly from the ATM. Menus allow consumers to select between cash or Visa prepaid cards. While the pilot program allowed the selection of fixed value cards, menu options now allow account holders to designate the value to load on each card they purchase.
Visa and Better ATM Services unveiled its ATM-dispensing Visa Gift cards in addition to cash at existing ATMs. Across 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. For these pilots, 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.
airtel Africa, Standard Chartered Bank and MasterCard were honored for mobile payments innovation at the 16th Annual Global Mobile Awards held during Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2011. The recently launched virtual card product, developed in collaboration between airtel Africa, Standard Chartered and MasterCard, received top honors as the Best Mobile Money Product or Solution. Honored by a panel of mobile industry experts, the virtual card product was recognized as an innovative mobile payments solution that will offer consumers in Kenya, and eventually across Africa, greater participation in the financial system through mobile commerce.
The Experian study on credit card trends consumers are opening 26% fewer credit cards than in 2007 while the number of open bank cards were typically higher than retail credit cards, except for in Pittsburgh, Miami, Columbus and Atlanta. Meanwhile, New Yorkers have with the highest number of open cards- although they aren’t using them as much as some of the other cities- and Phoenix residents have the fewest. Atlanta has the highest average monthly balance is $6,753 on revolving accounts, although the consumers only have an average of 3.06 open accounts, while San Francisco and Houston have the lowest average monthly balance, with $5,323 and $5,328, respectively. The data was pulled and analyzed by Experian Decision Sciences using a statistically relevant sampling of Experian’s File One(SM) consumer credit database.
METRO OPEN CARDS/AVG BAL.
New York 3.77 $5,713
Pittsburgh 3.60 $5,989
Boston 3.49 $6,152
Phili 3.45 $6,078
Minn. 3.39 $6,610
Chicago 3.31 $6,182
SF 3.24 $5,323
LA 3.16 $5,681
Atlanta 3.06 $6,753
SOURCE: Experian
EXPERIAN
Experian global information services company has purchased RentBureau credit bureau for the multifamily industry, bringing to the company an extensive rental payment database for property managers and resident screeners. RentBureau’s database receives rental payment histories every 24 hours from its national network of apartment owners and managers, which currently includes more than 7 million residents nationwide. The planned inclusion of rental history in credit files promises a great benefit for renters, especially those among the United States’ 50 million underbanked consumers. Rental lease payments will be leveraged by consumers to qualify for new leases or other financial products that they deserve. As a result, members receive centrally stored, integrated verification of new applicants’ payment history as part of their existing apartment applicant screening services. Experian also will offer its resident screening partners this robust data to significantly reduce the risk of skips, bad checks, evictions and property damage.
Experian is conducting a nationwide search for a new
“freecreditscore.com” band to represent the brand, giving talent from
anywhere in the country a chance to enter.
Freecreditscore.com kicked off the talent search with MTV News reporting
on sessions in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles before letting bands
across America submit their video entries online.
The four finalist bands will receive national media exposure in
commercials on the FOX broadcast of the Major League Baseball All-Star
Game, as well as a prize package from musical instrument leader Gibson
Guitar. Later this year, freecreditscore.com plans to further emphasize fiscal
responsibility through new creative that will air across MTV in support
of mtvUâs ongoing public affairs campaign on the subject.
The Martin Agency, a full-service advertising agency based in Richmond,
Va., will produce the series of television advertisements that say
goodbye to the old band while announcing the nationwide search for new
musical talent.