[04/10/07]
MasterCard Worldwide announced that it has signed a development agreement with ASK to create paper-based contactless payment solutions for use in transit and other payment environments. The announcement was made today at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) conference in Los Angeles. MasterCard is the global leader in contactless payments, with nearly 13 million MasterCard PayPass cards in use at more than 46,000 merchant locations worldwide as of 4Q2006.
"MasterCard PayPass is intended for environments where speed is at a premium. Transit is a perfect example." said Kathleen Reilly, vice president and Senior Business Leader, Advanced Payments, MasterCard Worldwide. "In a subway environment, limited-use, paper-based contactless fare tickets could replace standard mag-stripe fare cards for riders who don't have a PayPass-enabled payment card. This solution would enable all riders to tap their way through the turnstile." MasterCard's development arrangement with ASK extends beyond contactless payment cards for transit. "The possibilities from paper-based solutions leveraging contactless payments are endless," added Reilly.
"More than 50 million ASK contactless paper cards have already been widely distributed worldwide in mass transit Automatic Fare Collection systems, says Thierry Burgess, US General Manager. Merging contactless paper tickets with MasterCard' PayPass payment technology provides a cost-effective and user-friendly solution", he adds.
Tap & Go in Transit
Transit represents an ideal market for contactless payments, as few sectors place a higher priority on speed and convenience. MasterCard is leading the effort to enable contactless transit payments on a global scale. In the U.S. alone, MasterCard is participating in a contactless trial in the New York City subway system and on the Ohio Turnpike, while PayPass is now accepted in many Philadelphia and NYC taxi cabs and Utah buses. MasterCard is also leading the effort to develop new PayPass-enabled devices, such as key fobs, mobile phones, wristwatches and wristbands.
About MasterCard Worldwide
MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link between financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes more than 16 billion payments each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus, MasterCard Worldwide serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.
For more information go to www.mastercardworldwide.com.
About ASK
Founded in 1997, ASK is today a worldwide leading supplier of contactless cards, tickets, RFID tags, e-passport inlays and readers addressing the mass transit, access control, banking, e-identity and supply chain markets. More than 70 million contactless products are already in service. ASK is a France-based company with worldwide customers and subsidiaries in the US, Singapore and China. For more information go to http://www.ask-rfid.com
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