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ACK News

PCI DSS, it can't be ignored any more. The ACK Solution >More

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Don't touch, contactless is on its way >More

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ACK work with The Works >More

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IFSF standard now supported for simple integration in fuel forecourt market >More

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Windows CE support announced for ACKTerm >More

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IP Connectivity, the ACK view

Increasing numbers of Merchants are now looking to take advantage of their investment in broadband technology. Adding EFT to this investment can pay dividends in speed and running costs. >More

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In this months edition......

• PCI DSS - It can not be ignored any more. The pressure from the acquiring banks will start to increase on Merchants in response to the card schemes putting pressure on them. All Merchants must comply or at the very least show signs that they are working towards it. Find out how can ACK help.
• ACK goes mobile - ACK ported the existing software to Windows CE some time ago, but it was just a bit too early for the hand held marketplace. Now the market has caught up and live installations are taking place.
• Contactless a technology for loyalty and membership - The ACK Contactless development is not just for payments. This technology offers significant advantages over magnetic swipe cards when used as part of a loyalty or membership application.
• Fixed cost IP authorisation - IP authorisation has been with us for some time, but mainly the preserve of major retailers. A simple, secure and cost effective solution is now available for smaller merchants.
• Carte Paris - Despite disruptions to the public transport system this was a good show for ACK. Working with Wincor Nixdorf our debit/credit and Contactless modules were in evidence on the Visa International stand where it generated a lot of interest. This was also the first showing of our work to support Near Field Communications being used on a mobile phone to make payments.
• NFC, Near Field Communications - Contactless payment from mobile phones – this technology is being trialled around the world including the UK, and ACK have it working now.

PCI DSS – It can’t be ignored any more!!

PCI DSS is not going to go away, much as Merchants might like it too!!! There have been a number of dates for compliance given by both Visa and MasterCard and the lack of continuity between them both has created confusion as to which date Merchants should be working towards. One card scheme says they want ALL merchants compliant by the end of 2008 whilst another says ALL merchants should be compliant by the end of 2007. Therefore if a merchant wants to take all major cards they should be compliant by the end of 2007!! The card schemes (Visa, MasterCard, Amex and JCB) are of the opinion that the need for PCI DSS compliance has been known for some time and that a number of extensions have been given, that time has now run out. It is even rumoured that certain Merchants have already been identified by the card schemes and that in 2008 they will be targeted and fined for non compliance. In a previous communication from ACK we highlighted the need to address PCI DSS along with the importance of compliance to the Payment Application Best Practice recommendation to which EFT applications should comply. http://www.ackltd.co.uk/PCIDSS/PCIandPABP.htm

ACK strongly recommend that both integrators and Merchants pay urgent attention to this matter. ACK are here to help. We on the final straight to gaining PABP accreditation. Our PABP Qualified Security Assessor has been very impressed with the way in which we have approached this task and see no problems in us achieving full accreditation. http://www.ackltd.co.uk/PCIDSS/theacksolution.htm

Finally in a recent presentation from a major UK retailer they highlighted three messages that focused the minds of both board members and employees alike (and no doubt shareholders);

Reputation Risk – If a merchant experiences a major breach of security and cardholder details go missing the lose of consumer confidence could be catastrophic.

Data security breaches – Widely reported losses by various government agencies has highlighted to the public the need for security of personal data no matter what it is.

PCI DSS affects all areas of the business – There is often arguments about who has responsibility for PCI DSS within a company. It’s not just an IT issue, it’s not just a finance issue; all areas of the business are affected.

Contactless a technology for loyalty and membership

The work ACK have been doing on Contactless payments also has potential in other areas such as loyalty and membership systems. We envisage scenarios such as return visits to theme parks, access to heritage sites, etc. and other places where ‘members’ are given privileges above the general public e.g. fast entry. Access can be swift and back office systems can keep track of the card holders’ usage or activity so that marketing plans can be more focused and targeted.

We are aware of such organisations as sQuid ( www.squidcard.com )who are working with a number of local authorities on ticketing systems for pensioners based on Contactless technology. sQuid also have the capability of providing a Contactless, electronic purse so that a card may become multi-function; - the boundaries for Contactless payments just got bigger.

NFC trials

Staying with the Contactless theme, ACK have been involved with Visa on tests of Near Field Communications, Contactless payment via mobile phones.

This technology is moving at a pace around the world; having been in daily use in a few countries in the Far East the technology is now moving into Europe, France has announced a major trial during 2008 and a number of other countries will also look to adopt this technology.

ACK have worked with both Visa and Wincor Nixdorf to set up a trial system which was frequently demonstrated at the Carte exhibition in Paris at the end of November and worked faultlessly. It is early days for mobile phones with the capability to support NFC, but we expect this technology to become very popular not least of which because the £10 limit of existing Contactless payment cards will not apply so it can be used for higher value transactions without the need to use contact cards with PIN verification for debit and credit transactions. There are, of course, security techniques in place to protect the card holder. More details to follow as things progress.

Seen in a recent RBS Newsletter

Royal Bank of Scotland First in UK With Superfast Way to Pay

The RBS–sponsored AT&T Williams team made the first public Contactless card payment in the UK using a RBS contactless debit card, roaring through a McDonald’s drive-thru in Billingsgate in London to grab a Big Mac. The purchase at McDonald’s on August 23rd marked the start of the roll-out of Contactless cards in the UK. In addition to McDonald’s, RBS has already signed up other retailers including Oddbins and cafes, delis, pharmacies, bars and sandwich shops in the City of London and on the South Bank of the Thames where the new technology is being initially introduced to allow customers to use Contactless cards to make cash-free low value purchases. These retailers started to use the new technology in September.

RBS employees in Edinburgh and London were the first to trial the new cards in the UK, using them at retailers in the bank’s headquarters and one of its London offices. Since the trial started in June 2006 over 55,000 purchases have been made. In November 2007 RBS began to issue Contactless debit and credit cards to RBS, Nat West and MINT customers who live or work in the London roll-out area.

RBS has launched two websites to provide more information to retailers and cardholders about Contactless payments. The first is www.streamlinecontactless.com which informs retailers about the technology and associated benefits of offering Contactless payment facilities to their customers. The second, www.rbscontactless.com enables cardholders and retailers to register their interest in receiving a Contactless credit or debit card.

ACK Goes Mobile

Some time ago we ported our standard software onto the Windows CE platform with an eye on the handheld EPoS marketplace. This has worked well on such hardware platforms as the pin POS from Bristol Office Machines (www.pinpos.co.uk) . The BOM device combines very neatly a PDA and Dione pin PAD into a single unit and is currently on trial with a major Premier league football club.

Fujitsu, on the other hand, have developed the B-PAD device from the ground up which incorporates both a PDA and on board pin PAD within one light-weight unit. To simplify their development, Fujitsu elected to use the well known STS EMVelink EMV software kernel which ACK now support for both the WinCE and standard 32 bit Windows platforms.

In conjunction with one of our integrators and Box Technologies, ACK will be running a pilot for a major High Street name before the end of the first quarter 2008.

Fixed Cost IP Authorisation

IP authorisation has been with us for some time but mainly the preserve of major retailers running transactions through their corporate networks and then out on fixed lines into the banking world. However through work we have been doing with our managed service partners, a solution now exists for any retailer, large or small to take advantage of both the speed and additional services this method can provide.

Using standard broadband connectivity retailers can link through to one of our partner managed service providers for both authorisation and settlement. This will allow for greater use of the broadband investment and reduce costs in terms of dedicated phone lines and polling fees.

This fixed cost model works by providing an inclusive number of transactions per month within a single monthly payment. Transactions above the inclusive limit are then charged at a price per transaction. The cost of this package gives an overall saving against a bank owned terminal solution and provides greater efficiencies in terms of keying errors and customer throughput. Having become independent of bank owned terminals the merchant can more easily switch banks to obtain the best merchant service charge.

Call Chris Hyde for more details on 0118 946 9233 or chris@ackltd.co.uk

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