FIME and Barnes Launch Qualified MasterCard Card Personalisation Validation Tool
23 May 2011 – The first MasterCard® qualified test tool that meets its latest card personalisation validation (CPV) requirements has been brought to market by FIME and Barnes International in a joint initiative. The PersevalPRO Issuer test tool allows issuers to accurately and efficiently prepare for the MasterCard CPV certification process. This reduces a product’s time to market by eliminating costly and time consuming issues arising during the final certification stage.
FIME – a global leader in integration services for secure chip based applications, tokens and devices, and Barnes International – worldwide chip card test tool developer, have combined expertise to develop the PersevalPRO Issuer test tool. The product incorporates the latest card personalisation functionality and security requirements issued by MasterCard on 25 March 2011, and it is the first to achieve qualification from the payment system.
FIME will use the test tool within its global ISO 17025 accredited laboratories when delivering consulting services for customers requiring MasterCard CPV compliance, by continually evaluating the alignment of a card to these most recently stipulated standards throughout the development process. It will also use PersevalPRO Issuer within its official capacity as an approved MasterCard laboratory to generate the test results required for a product to achieve MasterCard certification.
Banks, card manufacturers and personalisation bureaux are additionally able to purchase and use the tool independently to test a product’s adherence to MasterCard standards prior to official certification.
Vincent Poty, Head of Strategy and Corporate Development at FIME, comments: “FIME’s extensive knowledge of CPV requirements and Barnes’ long history of building MasterCard testing tools enabled us to work resourcefully together to develop and launch a comprehensive test solution. The tool has been designed to facilitate updates on new or changed test scenarios as and when required. FIME’s investment in this area is reflective of our commitment to deliver tangible efficiencies to our customers, which allows them to successfully launch advanced card products that meet the highest industry standards. As a MasterCard accredited service provider, it demonstrates our aim to effectively meet its latest certification needs.”
Brian Summerhayes, Managing Director at Barnes International, comments: “Barnes and FIME have worked in close collaboration to produce this comprehensive test solution for pre-certification of MasterCard and PayPass™ cards. This will yield many benefits to our customers in terms of time and effort saved in developing new MasterCard products and preparing and submitting cards for certification. This joint co-operation reflects the dedication of both Barnes and FIME to deliver the very best test tools and highest levels of service to customers worldwide.”
For further media information, please contact Nicole Mountain or Sarah Jones at iseepr: nicole@iseepr.co.uk / sarah@iseepr.co.uk or on + 44 (0) 1943 468007
About FIME www.fime.com
FIME is an independent global leader in consulting and integration testing services for smart devices and secure chip-based applications within the telecom, e-payment, transport, e-identity and logistic sectors. Its international team works with manufacturers, banks and authorities within these markets throughout the research and development lifecycle to provide expertise on sector requirements, functional and security features and industry regulation.
Since 1995, FIME has established global ISO 17025 accredited laboratories which provide official testing and certification services to validate a solution’s compliance and security before launch. FIME’s technical ability ensures a customer’s solution is secure, interoperable and achieves the highest level of industry standardisation.
With over 200 employees and operating across America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India and Asia, FIME has worked with leading international schemes such as American Express, First Data, JCB, MasterCard and Visa to bring pioneering and convenient chip-based services to end users.
About Barnes International
Barnes International is the world leader in the development and supply of Chip Card Test Tools and Magnetic Stripe Analysers. Barnes world class Test Tools enable the Manufacture and Issue of valid Magnetic stripe, Contact and Contactless EMV Chip Cards, ensuring quicker approval by Payment Schemes and minimising pre-issue costs. It’s Test Tools for Laboratory, Manufacturing and Bureau include QC testing to ISO, EMV, Amex, JCB, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, Interac as well as Global Platform and GSM specifications. Barnes also offers EMV Consultancy and Card Testing. With its test tools deployed with customers in over 70 countries Barnes is the global leader in card testing solutions. For further information on Barnes’ products and services go to www.barnestest.com
About MasterCard Worldwide
As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2010, $2.7 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network – the fastest payment processing network in the world – MasterCard processes over 23 billion transactions each year and has the capacity to handle 160 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 130 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl®. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnew
