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A San Francisco-based company on March 30 announced its introduction of a modular set of software frameworks and applications designed to facilitate deployment of Near Field Communication payments and other contactless services by resolving fragmentation and interoperability issues affecting NFC software and hardware installations.

A coalition representing consumers this week is urging lawmakers to oppose legislation that would put the brakes on proposed debit-interchange rate reductions, while a group of 7-Eleven Inc. franchisees similarly is vowing to keep lobbying Congress to oppose such a delay.

WASHINGTON – Supporters of a bill to delay the rule on debit interchange continued to build support this afternoon as Senate backers worked to collect the 60 votes they will need to attach their bill to bipartisan small business legislation. The Federal Reserve’s proposed rule to cap interchange fees on debit, said Montana Democrat Jon Tester, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, “will further consolidate financial institutions in this country, and that’s the last thing we need.” Tester’s remarks on the Senate floor followed those by Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin, the sponsor of the fee cap rule, who indicated he will filibuster the bill to delay the rule–meaning supporters of the delay will need 60 of the Senate’s 100 members to sign on. Sources told the Credit Union Journal this afternoon they have tentative commitments from 52 senators, leaving them well short of what will be needed to overcome Durbin’s filibuster. So there was serious doubt the delay bid will be attached to the small business bill. Tester, who co-sponsored a bill to delay the Fed’s rule for as long as two years while further study is conducted on the exemption for credit unions and community banks, painted a bleak picture of the rule’s impact. “These rules are going to put community banks and credit unions out of business,” he told his Senate colleagues. The stakes in the fight are enormous, with merchants paying banks and credit unions an estimated $20.5 billion a year in debit fees–$2.6 billion of it alone going to credit unions.

Google Inc. is joining the NFC Forum, a nonprofit association that sets technical specifications for how businesses use Near Field Communication technology for payments applications and other services.

Gemalto NV is offering a software package for MasterCard Worldwide’s PayPass contactless payment system, the chip maker announced March 30.

Besides making the process easier for merchants, a good payment-security vendor can ease the burden of Payment Card Industry data-security standards compliance for independent sales organizations, a growing number of ISOs are finding.

The Smart Card Alliance’s transportation council this year plans to continue its focus in support of open-loop contactless transit payment card systems as more cities realize the potential benefits over closed-loop systems, according to an organization executive.

Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd. expects to issue more than 500,000 of its newly launched Shariah-compliant Visa-branded debit cards by the end of this year, a spokesperson for the Kuala Lumpur-based bank tells PaymentsSource. The bank began issuing the card on March 1.

The Federal Reserve Board’s decision this week to take more time to analyze comments before finalizing its proposed debit-interchange rules could mean the final rules might not take as big a bite out of issuer revenue, some analysts believe.

Visa Inc., MasterCard Inc. and several leading Canadian banks that issue their cards face being included in proposed national class-action litigation tied to a lawsuit filed March 28 in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The suit alleges the card networks and their major issuers conspired to fix prices on fees merchants ultimately pay to accept cards.

Citing the proliferation of smartphone Near Fear Communication applications, NFC provider Vivotech Inc. next year plans to conduct an initial public offering of company stock to help boost its ability to build more NFC products and systems, Muhammed Khan, founder and president of Vivotech, tells PaymentsSource.

As many banks break the unpleasant news to consumers about the disappearance of checking account perks, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. has developed a way to make customers feel empowered about the changes.

American Airlines Federal Credit Union on March 30 announced a remote deposit capture service.

The chief sponsor of a Senate bill to delay the interchange rule for as long as two years maneuvered last night to ease passage of the controversial measure by attaching it to popular legislation on small business investment.

Banks and ATM providers have made it a top priority to integrate their ATMs with other services such as mobile payments and online banking, new survey data suggest.

Financial-technology provider COCC, formerly Connecticut On-Line Computer Center Inc., is working with mFoundry Inc. to provide mobile-banking services to its bank clients, the companies announced March 28.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve Board will not meet its upcoming April 21 deadline to issue final rules that would limit interchange fees for debit cards.

WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke notified Congress this afternoon that the Fed will not be able to meet an April 21 deadline for approving a final rule on debit fees, but said it still expects to meet a July 21 implementation deadline. The Fed Chairman told House Financial Services Chairman Spencer Bachus of Alabama in a letter the complexity of the rule combined with sorting through more than 11,000 public comments on the proposal makes it impossible to finalize a rule by April 21, the deadline mandated in last year’s Wall Street reform bill. The bill also mandates a July 21 implementation deadline. The Fed’s delay comes as members of both the House and Senate are beginning to debate bills that could delay a final rule for as long as two years.WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke notified Congress this afternoon that the Fed will not be able to meet an April 21 deadline for approving a final rule on debit fees, but said it still expects to meet a July 21 implementation deadline.

Meta Financial Group Inc. could turn its recent regulatory troubles into a positive as it seeks new business opportunities in prepaid debit card issuing, an analyst notes.

Citigroup Inc.’s deal to join Syncada could boost momentum for the receivables processing network, which has announced only one other third-party bank participant.