Garanti Bank Selects Gemalto for Europe's First Commercial Deployment of Contactless Banking Cards
Amsterdam (ots/PRNewswire)
- Gemalto Adds MasterCard(R) PayPass(TM) Functionality to Garanti Bank's Bonus Card, Europe's Largest Multi-Branded Credit Card Program
- Garanti Bank Currently has Over 5 Million BonusCards in Circulation in Turkey
Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), a world leader in digital security, today announces it is providing Garanti Bank, a leading credit card issuer in Turkey, with Europe's first smart banking cards featuring EMV technology, loyalty schemes and the contactless payment capability. Gemalto has been a major supplier to Garanti Bank since 2000 and has already provided the bank with several million of its multi-application smart cards, which incorporate EMV-compliant credit functions and a loyalty program. Leveraging the success of this first deployment, Gemalto is now upgrading Garanti's BonusCard with the MasterCard(R) PayPass(TM) functionality to allow consumers to benefit from the speed and convenience of contactless at movie theatres, fast food restaurants and supermarkets.
The Gemalto smart cards incorporate the MasterCard(R) PayPass(TM) contactless capability which allows Garanti Bank customers to enjoy a new and trendy means of payment by simply tapping their card on the reader or within a few centimetres of a point-of-sale terminal. Furthermore, the MasterCard(R) PayPass(TM) technology saves time for both cardholders and retailers and enhances their payment experience, as they no longer have to fumble for change.
Reha Emekli, Vice President Garanti Payment Systems, said: "Gemalto's extensive experience provides a reliable and cost-effective way to bring contactless solutions to our market. The possibility of any form factor necessary such as inlays, key fobs, wristwatches, including reader solutions, will help us differentiate ourselves in Turkey's highly competitive payments market."
"Both Gemalto and Garanti Bank share the same vision of pioneering financial products," added Philippe Cambriel, president banking and security at Gemalto. "We are proud to bring Garanti Bank our technological expertise for Europe's first large-scale deployment of contactless banking cards."
Note to Editors
BonusCard set the new rules of the game in the Turkish credit card market on April 17th, 2000. As the first multi-branded credit card based on an EMV compliant chip and offering a loyalty program, Bonus Card provided tangible financial benefits (instalment and cash back) to cardholders with an unrecorded convenience in using the reward system for both cardholders and partner merchants.
The loyalty program has attracted more than 1,000 brands with over 100,000 sales points as partner merchants to date. This loyalty network, together with over 5 million cardholders, makes BonusCard Europe's largest multi-branded loyalty and credit card program.
About Gemalto
Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is a leader in digital security with pro forma 2005 annual revenues of EUR1.7 billion, operations in about 100 countries and 11,000 employees including 1,500 R&D engineers.
In a world where the digital revolution is increasingly transforming our lives, Gemalto's solutions are designed to make personal digital interactions more convenient, secure and enjoyable.
Gemalto provides end-to-end digital security solutions, from the development of software applications through design and production of secure personal devices such as smart cards, SIMs, e-passports, and tokens to the management of deployment services for its customers.
More than a billion people worldwide use the company's products and services for telecommunications, financial services, e-government, identity management, multimedia content, digital rights management, IT security, mass transit and many other applications.
As the use of Gemalto's software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the company is poised to thrive over the coming years.
Gemalto was formed in June 2006 by the combination of Axalto and Gemplus.
For more information please visit www.gemalto.com
Gemalto
Media
Emmanuelle Saby
T: +33-1-55-01-57-27
M: +33-6-09-10-76-10
Emmanuelle.saby@gemalto.com
Investor Relations
Stéphane Bisseuil
T: +33-1-55-01-50-97
M: +33-6-86-08-64-13
Stephane.bisseuil@gemalto.com
TBWA\Corporate
Emlyn Korengold
T: +33-1-49-09-66-51
M: +33-6-08-21-93-74
emlyn.korengold@tbwa-corporate.comContact:
Gemalto: Media, Emmanuelle Saby, T: +33-1-55-01-57-27, M:
+33-6-09-10-76-10, Emmanuelle.saby@gemalto.com. Investor Relations,
Stéphane Bisseuil, T: +33-1-55-01-50-97, M: +33-6-86-08-64-13,
Stephane.bisseuil@gemalto.com. TBWA\Corporate, Emlyn Korengold, T:
+33-1-49-09-66-51, M: +33-6-08-21-93-74,
emlyn.korengold@tbwa-corporate.com