STRATEGIC PARTNERS
June 19, 2002
DAYTON, Ohio and OMAHA, Neb. - Transaction software provider ACI Worldwide (Nasdaq: TSAI) and NCR (NYSE: NCR) have announced they will work together to drive 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.
Jim Piggot, general manager of NCR's software and services for the global Financial Solutions division, said in the release that the non-proprietary IFX message specification has caught the attention of some financial institutions that have been slow to transition to so-called Web-enabled ATMs due to existing proprietary platforms.
"The IFX standard enables the adoption of one message standard to run across all channels, including ATM and point-of-sale networks," Piggot said.
According to Mark Vipond, president of ACI Worldwide, "IFX offers a heightened level of flexibility to ATM channels, enabling the self-service functions financial institutions are asking for, including personalization and targeted marketing, extended financial transactions and support for third-party services."
ACI is implementing IFX messaging using its new Enterprise Services architecture. The new component will be deployed with both BASE24 and the ACI Enterprise Payment System, ACI's twp processing engines. NCR is developing ATM support through its multivendor APTRA Edge software platform.
Deposit automation processing, one of the first advanced ATM transactions implemented by NCR, will initially be supported with NDC+ authorization and subsequently implemented under IFX.
