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TNS Smart Network continues to certify ATMs to process EMV transactions

June 30, 2010

MasterCard Canada and the Interac Association have certified three cash-dispensing ATMs to process pin-and-chip card transactions to meet a December 31 deadline as the country moves to the Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV), the worldwide security standard to prevent card fraud, a spokesperson for TNS Smart Network, Canada's largest operator of white-label cash-dispensing machines, tells ATMmarketplace.com

MasterCard and Interac have certified Triton RL Series 2.3.2 operating software, and Interac has certified Hyosung 5000CE's 01.03.07 software and Hyosung 1500/1800 21.21.15 software, said Michael Dominelli, vice president of marketing for NRT Technology Corp., TNS's parent company. TNS owns and operates cash-dispensers installed in casinos, lotteries and retailers worldwide. NRT's 15,000 white-label ATMs are deployed in gas stations, bars and other off-premises locations, but not in bank branches.

"The certification means the ATMs' software can process chip-and pin card transactions," Dominelli says. Visa Canada and MasterCard are testing Easypoint 3300/3600 04.26.02 software and Triton RL's 2.3.3 software. In addition, the card associations are testing unspecified software for the Hyosung 1500, 1800 and 5000. Moneris Solutions, Canada's largest payments processor, also has to certify the ATMs.

Interac, which is responsible for the development and operations of the national payment network that allows Canadians to access their money through cash machines and point-of-sale terminals, announced in 2005 that it was moving from magnetic stripe cards to pin-and-chip cards to reduce fraud.

As of 2009, there were more than 944 million EMV-compliant chip-based payment cards in use worldwide. In April, the European ATM Security Team (EAST) in Edinburgh, Scotland, reported a 36 percent drop in fraud in 2009 compared with 2008 because of the rollout of EMV at European banks ATMs. Ninety-four percent of cash machines in European countries that are EAST members are EMV certified.

ATM independent sales organizations are facing several important deadlines. Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15, Visa and MasterCard will shift liability to non-EMV compliant ATM owners if fraud occurs on the machines. And 50 percent of independent sales organization's ATMs must be certified by December 31 to process EMV transactions or Interac will sanction the company.