OMAHA, Neb. and PADERBORN, Germany -- Enterprise e-payment software provider ACI Worldwide (Nasdaq: TSAIE) and ATM manufacturer Wincor Nixdorf are stepping up their efforts to drive the adoption of standard software messaging, known as IFX, for self-service devices such as ATMs.
According to a news release, the two companies already combine their efforts on several related initiatives, including the Interactive Financial eXchange Forum, a committee of key industry leaders focused on promoting industry-wide software standards.
Since last February, ACI and Wincor Nixdorf have become members of the IFX Forum and are playing an active role in the ATM/POS Working Group. The group's main is to create new messages to support ATMs, point-of-sale systems and other devices, and to enhance current messages in the areas of security, base services, banking services and the valuable media service.
(See related story Forum hopes to help ATMs speak same language)
Now the two companies say they plan to accomplish a proof of concept in a common customer project by mid 2003 and to offer general availability of an IFX product in the second half of 2003.
"ACI sees the opportunity to work with Wincor Nixdorf on an end-to-end IFX solution as a step forward in the direction of offering a common ATM vendor interface," said Rick DuVall, ACI senior product manager responsible for ATM and smart card products, in the release.
"As more ATM-related companies develop IFX solutions, our mutual customers will begin to see the benefits of operating their ATM networks using a global standard. Those benefits include reduced integration costs, reuse of development from one channel to another and reduced training costs, just to name a few."
Reinhard Rabenstein, vice president of Wincor Nixdorf, said in the release, "By establishing a cooperation between the two companies at a corporate level we have laid the cornerstone to be more successful and more efficient in customer projects than before. IFX, as a vendor-independent messaging standard, will enable our customers to provide enhanced financial service across not only multiple vendor platforms, but multiple delivery channels as well."
