LONDON and DALLAS, Nov. 19, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Trintech Group Plc (Nasdaq:TTPA) (Prime Standard:TTP), a leading provider of transaction management and payment infrastructure solutions, today announced that it has achieved ZKA (Zentraler Kreditausschuss) approval for its OpenPay Architecture for use in the Smart 5000 PIN Pad terminal and it's new range of OEM payment security technology products. This is the first approval of its kind for a PIN Pad device using a LINUX open standard operating system. ZKA is the German regulatory body responsible for all aspects of card payments in Germany, and is widely acknowledged for setting the most stringent PIN Pad testing standards in the world.
A key component of the approved OpenPay Architecture, Trintech's OpenPay SPM (secure payment module), is now being licensed to OEM manufacturers including ATM and kiosk vendors, and payment and mobile device vendors. It is also used in Trintech's new OpenPay 3000 range of outdoor and unattended payment terminals for use in applications such as vending machines and "pay-at-pump" applications.
This approval follows Trintech's success in achieving the UK's first end-to-end EMV acquirer accreditation for an integrated point-of-sale environment in April 2003. It also builds on earlier certifications including Visa PED (PIN Entry Device) certification, and EMV level 1 and level 2 certifications for both its PayWare Smart 5000 and Compact 950 PIN Pad terminals. Earlier this year, the Smart 5000 was also found, by the German Savings Banks, to be fastest hybrid PIN Pad for Germany's PIN based debit card scheme.
To achieve this ZKA approval, Trintech's Smart 5000 PIN Pad was rigorously tested by T-Systems, a specialist test laboratory for security devices. By meeting ZKA standards, the device meets or exceeds many national requirements for PIN Pad security.
The widespread migration of card payments to PIN validation from signature is a major deterrent against fraud. This migration requires retailers to deploy PIN Pads that allow customers to enter a PIN number instead of a signature.
Trintech, renowned for its expertise in PIN Pad security, posseses an innovative product range, meeting the very highest security standards. PayWare Smart 5000 and Compact 950 have advanced tamper-proof and tamper responsive mechanisms to safeguard against any physical or electronic attack and to help prevent the PIN from being compromised.
"By achieving this approval, the OpenPay Architecture and the Smart 5000 have now been approved as one of the most secure PIN Pad devices in the market," said Eamon Keating, General Manager of Trintech's Retail Division. "It strengthens the capability of Trintech's OpenPay OEM security module and outdoor payment technology portfolio. In addition, as the first to have a LINUX operating system, it will have a market advantage by easing the deployment of new secure payment applications."
About PayWare Smart 5000
Trintech's new PayWare Smart 5000 is an EMV certified PIN Pad terminal that can be used in any type of point-of-sale system. It is an ideal device for EMV upgrade of integrated multilane electronic point of sale systems. It is easy to use, allowing for both chip and magnetic swipe cards to be processed in a single card reader. It also features a high security PIN Pad enabling customers to enter their PIN in confidence. Operating on an open LINUX operating system running on a powerful ARM processor, the device is fast and able to run multiple applications such as loyalty and stored value.
About Trintech
Trintech is a leading provider of transaction management and payment infrastructure solutions to financial institutions, payment processors, enterprise retailers and network operators globally. Built on over 15 years of experience, Trintech's solutions manage each area of the payment transaction cycle from authentication, authorization, settlement, dispute resolution and reconciliation -- enabling our customers to reduce transactions costs, eliminate fraud, minimize risk, maximize cashflow and increase profitability. Trintech can be contacted in Ireland at Trintech Building, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18 (Tel: +353-1-207-4000), in the US at 15851 Dallas Parkway, Suite 855, Addison, TX 75001 (Tel: +1-972 701 9802), and in the UK at 186-192 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 1AF (T: +44 (0) 1707 827000. www.trintech.com