ID Data and MasterCard unveil Tap and Go cards

Smart card specialist ID Data has delivered Tap and Go prepaid cards for the MasterCard UK launch of PayPass, the MasterCard contactless payment technology.

ID Data has successfully developed and delivered the UK's MasterCard Prepaid cards with PayPass, the next generation of contactless payment cards from MasterCard.

This project has shown that ID Data has the ability to compete in the new and challenging environment of RFID secure payments and has a process that can deliver flexible and innovative solutions in short times.

MasterCard invited ID Data to participate in this project with a demanding time scales for the launch of the first promotional PayPass cards in the UK.

Tap and Go contactless payments are seen as the next major step in the development of card payment solutions which effectively replace the use of cash in everyday low-value transactions.

The PayPass solution for the MasterCard UK launch targets small value purchases where the card transactions do not have to be authorised online, but instead take place between the chip within the card itself and the PayPass-enabled reader.

Once a preset offline spending limit for contactless purchases is met, the cardholder must perform a chip and pin transaction.

The associated convenience delivers major advantages for both the consumer and retailer.

The simplicity of operation makes each purchase considerably quicker than cash or conventional debit or credit card transactions using conventional chip and pin technology.

PayPass functionality is expected to play a key role in payment cards issued under the MasterCard brand in the coming years.

As one of the manufacturers for the UK launch, ID Data's state of readiness should allow it to gain additional revenue from its financial and banking clients elsewhere in the UK and Europe.

ID Data Group CEO Peter Cox said: "This major development has once again shown ID Data has the internal skills and technology to deliver leading edge solutions.

"ID Data has demonstrated not only its capability in producing complex dual interface products but also in card personalisation and the loading of pre-approved funds.

"We look forward to working with MasterCard on other time-sensitive developments in the near future".

Commenting on the launch, MasterCard's General Manager for UK and Nordics, John Bushby, said: "In the UK alone, there are currently in excess of 20 billion payments under GBP10, with a value of approximately GBP200 billion a year.

"We believe that MasterCard PayPass is the faster, and more convenient way to pay for small purchases under GBP10.

"The Project Team at MasterCard have been impressed by ID Data's speed to market capability given the technical development work required".

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