March 2, 2003
LONDON -- NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) says that the EMVCo has awarded its EMV Level 2 approval to NCR's EMV for NDC ATM software.
According to a news release, the software passed all of EMVCo's required tests. The EMV Group, established in 1993, consists of representatives from Europay, MasterCard and Visa. Together they devised industry specifications for chip cards, terminals and applications to ensure consistent, secure interoperability.
With EMV-approved hardware (Level 1) and EMV-approved software (Level 2), ATM deployers can now provide EMV support required for the entire end-to-end transaction, according to the release.
Also according to the release, NCR's EMV for NDC software provides customers with a set of benefits beyond the enhanced security of smart cards.
For example, a single smart card can now support access to a number of different consumer accounts (which previously required separate cards), increasing convenience for consumers. In addition, the software provides greater support for local languages. When a card is entered, the ATM will immediately identify the correct language.
As well as supporting traditional transactions, the NCR software supports the use of EMV in delivering value-added services such as insurance, stamps, tickets and mobile phone top-ups. Once the software is installed, ATM deployers simply decide when to switch on new functionality.
Jim Piggot, vice president for the software and services line of business at NCR's Financial Solutions division, said in the release, "Level 2 compliance means the whole transaction, from the smart card through the ATM software to the payment system, is secure. With our APTRA™ software, card holders will also have access to a wider selection of services, and ATMs will be capable of card-based branding, which is great for card issuers."
The NCR software can be used with both OS/2 and APTRA software platforms, guaranteeing seamless migration, according to the release.