Identity, Security, Payments, Biometrics, Smart Cards and Authentication News

G&D supplying Olympic smart cards

Friday, June 6, 2008

G&D is supplying banks and telecom operators in China with special cards for the upcoming summer Olympics.

The Bank of China and the China Everbright Bank are offering their customers special Visa Olympic-edition credit cards. China Mobile is marketing a gift box containing six prepaid telephone cards, which is the fourth set of commemorative cards for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games launched by China Mobile.

More than 800,000 Visa Olympic credit cards have been supplied so far to the Bank of China. The cards’ primary design element is the official logo of the Beijing Olympic Games, and this series features the blue, black, red, yellow and green of the Olympic rings. A special printing technique makes it possible to feel selected patterns and images on the surface of the card. In addition to the usual range of credit card services, the Bank of China’s Olympic cards offer a dual currency function, a revolving credit option, access to the Bank of China’s special customer network and other services.


The China Everbright Bank is issuing its VISA Olympic credit card in a vertical design displaying the five Fuwa mascots. G&D China has already supplied the bank with 200,000 cards, which have been issued to the bank’s customers starting in August 2007.

China Mobile has brought out a gift box containing six prepaid telephone cards in a circular arrangement to mark the 2008 Olympic games. The cards are already in demand as collectors’ items. China Mobile is an official Olympic partner and will provide the communication technology, the mobile network and numerous mobile services for the Olympic games. The cards in the gift box are available with a choice of different nominal values. G&D China won the contract for the design of the China Mobile Olympic prepaid cards in the summer of 2007. [end] 

Oracle has released a new version of Oracle Retail Point-of-Service that aims to increase security, operational efficiency and functionality in part by integrating biometrics.

Oracle partnered with DigitalPersonal to add integrated biometrics to the POS package. Users of the software will login using their fingerprint, which will replace the need for PINs or passwords. This feature intends to reduce fraud by eliminating the possibility of unauthorized employees using a manager ID or swipe card to access the POS and approve overrides.

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Identive Group Inc. has announced a deal to acquire a majority stake in Hamburg, Germany-based payment solution AG, a cashless payment system provider for stadiums, arenas and other types of entertainment venues.

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In the hopes that mobile wallets and contactless payments will catch on with consumers, mobile phone and financial services firms are looking to next year’s Olympics in London as a tipping point.

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Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile operator, has announced the launch of a SIM-based NFC road toll payment application on the Turkcell T11 smart phone.

Developed in collaboration with Bank Asya, the app allows users to migrate their plastic KGS toll payment cards onto their T11 smart phone to pay for fares when crossing bridges and freeway turnpikes.

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Mobile payment solution provider I Love Velvet announced that it has reached the second level of EMV certification (EMV2) which authorizes PIN and integrated chip payments from debit, credit and smart cards around the world.

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In Europe, the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) and EPASOrg has developed a new global standard to help accommodate changes in new payment technologies, according to SupermarketNews.com

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