Card Brief: 1st Data Certifies Diebold And Hypercom Products

OMAHA - First Data Corp. has certified products from Diebold Inc. and Hypercom Inc. as compatible with its point of sale networks.

The products are the Diebold IQ System, which can accommodate both smart cards and conventional magnetic stripe cards; and the Hypercom T7P, which is known for combining printing and on-line authorization functions on the single device.

Like the T7P, the IQ terminal has an integrated printer.

Certification by First Data, the biggest credit card processor and a growing force in merchant processing, "is an important step in Diebold's commitment to providing electronic payment solutions to retail businesses and financial institutions," said Brad Green, director of advanced card systems at the Ohio-based equipment vendor.

The smart card offering, new to the United States, is a result of Diebold's alliance with Schlumberger of France.

"As with the company's T7E, Hypercom's T7P readily passed our quality performance tests," said Bob Farris, vice president of product development for FDC merchant services. "It offers both technological excellence and ease of use at the retailer level."