Card Factory Share Discussion Threads

[waldron] 31/1/2005 16:36

FORT LEE, N.J., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On Track Innovations
Ltd, (OTI) (Nasdaq: OTIV; Prime Standard [Frankfurt]: OT5), a global leader in
contactless microprocessor-based smart card solutions for homeland security,
payments, petroleum payments and other applications, announced that Mr.
Bashan, President and CEO will be presenting at the Credit Suisse First Boston
Smart Card & RFID Conference being held at the CSFB London offices located at
20 Columbus Courtyard, Canary Wharf. The Conference is being held on
Thursday, February 3rd, 2005 and Mr. Bashan will present from 4:20pm to
4:45pm. If you want to know about smart card and radio frequency
identification technologies, this is the conference to visit.
On Track Innovations Ltd. (OTI) is a leading contactless smart card
solution provider. Applications developed by OTI include product solutions
for:

1. Smart ID - Homeland security solutions- national ID cards, e-passports
and medical cards.
2. Payments - Cashless solution for small ticket items.
3. EasyFuel - Petroleum payment systems.

This will be an excellent opportunity to meet with Mr. Bashan, President
and CEO of OTI and receive an update on OTI's technology.

For further information on the CSFB Holt Smart Card & RFID Conference,
please contact Deborah van Wyk, Equity Marketing & Roadshows, Tel:
#44 207-888-0170 Email: [e-mail].

About OTI
Established in 1990, OTI (Nasdaq: OTIV, Prime Standard: OT5) designs,
develops and markets secure contactless microprocessor-based smart card
technology to address the needs of a wide variety of markets. Applications
developed by OTI include product solutions for petroleum payment systems,
homeland security solutions, electronic passports and IDs, micro payments,
mass transit ticketing, parking, loyalty programs and secure campuses. OTI has
a global network of regional offices to market and support its products. The
company was awarded the prestigious ESCAT Award for smart card innovation in
both 1998 and 2000. For more information on OTI, visit


This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements
are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as market acceptance of
new products and our ability to execute production on orders, which could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in the statements
included in this press release. Although OTI believes that the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable
assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved.
OTI disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Results could differ
materially from expected results. OTI undertakes no obligation to update
forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or
circumstances.

This press release and other releases are available on
and

OTI Contact: Media Relations IR Contact:
Galit Mendelson Adam Handelsman Paul Holm
Director of Corporate 5W Public Relations PortfolioPR
Communication OTI 212 999 5585 212 736 9224
201 944 5200 ext. 111 [e-mail] [e-mail]
[e-mail]


SOURCE On Track Innovations Ltd
Web Site:



FORT LEE, N.J., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On Track Innovations
Ltd, (OTI) (Nasdaq: OTIV; Prime Standard [Frankfurt]: OT5), a global leader in
contactless microprocessor-based smart card solutions for homeland security,
payments, petroleum payments and other applications, announced that Mr.
Bashan, President and CEO will be presenting at the Credit Suisse First Boston
Smart Card & RFID Conference being held at the CSFB London offices located at
20 Columbus Courtyard, Canary Wharf. The Conference is being held on
Thursday, February 3rd, 2005 and Mr. Bashan will present from 4:20pm to
4:45pm. If you want to know about smart card and radio frequency
identification technologies, this is the conference to visit.
On Track Innovations Ltd. (OTI) is a leading contactless smart card
solution provider. Applications developed by OTI include product solutions
for:

1. Smart ID - Homeland security solutions- national ID cards, e-passports
and medical cards.
2. Payments - Cashless solution for small ticket items.
3. EasyFuel - Petroleum payment systems.

This will be an excellent opportunity to meet with Mr. Bashan, President
and CEO of OTI and receive an update on OTI's technology.

For further information on the CSFB Holt Smart Card & RFID Conference,
please contact Deborah van Wyk, Equity Marketing & Roadshows, Tel:
#44 207-888-0170 Email: [e-mail].

About OTI
Established in 1990, OTI (Nasdaq: OTIV, Prime Standard: OT5) designs,
develops and markets secure contactless microprocessor-based smart card
technology to address the needs of a wide variety of markets. Applications
developed by OTI include product solutions for petroleum payment systems,
homeland security solutions, electronic passports and IDs, micro payments,
mass transit ticketing, parking, loyalty programs and secure campuses. OTI has
a global network of regional offices to market and support its products. The
company was awarded the prestigious ESCAT Award for smart card innovation in
both 1998 and 2000. For more information on OTI, visit


This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements
are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as market acceptance of
new products and our ability to execute production on orders, which could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in the statements
included in this press release. Although OTI believes that the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable
assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved.
OTI disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Results could differ
materially from expected results. OTI undertakes no obligation to update
forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or
circumstances.

This press release and other releases are available on
and

OTI Contact: Media Relations IR Contact:
Galit Mendelson Adam Handelsman Paul Holm
Director of Corporate 5W Public Relations PortfolioPR
Communication OTI 212 999 5585 212 736 9224
201 944 5200 ext. 111 [e-mail] [e-mail]
[e-mail]


SOURCE On Track Innovations Ltd
Web Site:

[waldron] 31/1/2005 16:30

U.S. electronic passports will incorporate smart card technology
Monday, January 31 2005
The U.S. Government aims to begin issuing the world's most secure passport by the end of October this year. A chip embedded in the travel document will store information related to the passport holder. To ensure the most effective technology is selected, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) expanded the test phase by an additional round of contract awards. The GPO has requested that technology group Giesecke & Devrient (G&D), together with its partner Electronic Data Systems Corp (EDS), supply covers for the electronic passport incorporating an RFID inlay.

Giesecke & Devrient passport covers with integrated RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) inlay meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and others. The inlay consists of a substrate and a chip with an antenna, which serves as the RFID transponder. Via the antenna, the chip can communicate with a reader to display the stored information. The chip can also store biometric data - e.g. a facial image or fingerprint - which unmistakably identifies the holder and can be quickly and easily verified.

G&D is providing chip technology with 72 KB to store the information. A key component of the solution is G&D's STARCOS( 3.0 operating system, featuring optimum security and high-speed performance. This advanced operating system exceeds the ICAO's requirements with respect to secure storage and transfer of passport data.

G&D is uniquely qualified to provide highly secure electronic passports. They manufacture traditional passports and provide passport personalization systems for many countries. G&D has also been a leading provider of contactless technology since 1995. Serving on ICAO and other committees ensures that G&D is at the forefront of formalizing the interoperability standards of new technological innovations in smart cards.

"As one of the world's largest suppliers of contact and contactless card technology and a leading printer of secure documents, including currency and passports, G&D has the expertise to help GPO and the Department of State ensure success," commented Peter Eisenbacher of G&D's Board of Directors.

The first electronic passports are to be issued to U.S. Government employees for testing in practical use at the end of the first quarter of 2005.

[waldron] 30/1/2005 19:58

24 January 2005
Oberthur Card Systems Unveils GIGAntIC™ - Empowered by M-Systems' MegaSIM™ Technology
Oberthur Card Systems, a global leader in smart card technology and M-Systems, the leading developer of innovative flash data storage solutions for digital consumer electronics markets, have joined forces to revolutionise the telecommunications sector by announcing Oberthur Card Systems' new GIGAntIC™ card, the first fully functional 128Mbytes USIM card empowered by M-Systems' MegaSIM™ technology.

[maywillow] 24/1/2005 15:14

Intercede's partnership with Gemplus reinforced by significant order

Intercede has received an order in excess of £500,000 from Gemplus for a major European customer. Since 2003, Intercede and Gemplus have developed a strong partnership built around Intercede's MyID Smart Card and Identity Management System, as part of Gemplus' smart card-based corporate ID solution, SafesITe.

"This success demonstrates that our strategy of delivering Intercede's MyID technology to major customers through channel partners is starting to produce significant sales revenues. The order reinforces the mutual importance of Gemplus as an Intercede partner and illustrates that our combined solutions have matured into a compelling offering to the market," said Richard Parris, Chairman and Chief Executive, Intercede Group plc. "Using MyID with Gemplus smart cards, readers and middleware, enables organisations to securely identify and authenticate individuals in a practical and cost-effective manner. We look forward to working with Gemplus on other smart card projects for customers around the World"

Gemplus' SafesITe solution incorporates Intercede's MyID to provide a user-friendly method to deploy and manage smart cards for organisations choosing to adopt corporate ID cards with Microsoft PKI credentials. The corporate ID cards can be used to securely access business information and data from the organisation's PCs, Networks, VPNs and Web resources as well as providing physical access to offices and buildings.

"Our technical partnership with Intercede has quickly grown into what isnow a fruitful and successful business venture that allows both our companies to better engage the corporate ID market," said Olivier Chavrier, Gemplus Director of Marketing for ID & Security. "This contract well reflects the growing interest and escalating need for smart card-based identity solutions in the enterprise."

[maywillow] 24/1/2005 15:06

Axalto - Leading card suppliers create Smart Payment Alliance
Source : La Société
Actualité du 24/01/05 à 14:31


Birth of industry-wide association to facilitate and promote chip-based payment cards
Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Munich and Paris, January 24, 2005 - The world's leading smart card manufacturers Axalto, Gemplus International S.A., Giesecke & Devrient, and Oberthur Card Systems have announced the creation of the Smart Payment Alliance (SPA), a non-profit association dedicated to fostering and facilitating the usage of smart cards to make payments. The SPA is committed to promoting chip card-based payment applications, improving value-added application interoperability, establishing relevant specifications, and improving security and quality.

The Smart Payment Alliance's main objective is to accelerate the transition from traditional magnetic stripe cards to chip-based cards by:

Promoting the benefits of smart cards for financial institutions
Ensuring optimal interoperability between all system components, for both payment and value-added applications
Establishing representation on standardization committees and within payment associations
Describing use cases for value-added applications and, whenever necessary, establishing joint industry specifications for them
The strategy of the Alliance is to position itself as a partner of EMVCo and to bolster Visa and MasterCard actions on EMV specifications and their implementation.

Aiming to establish consistent specifications, the Alliance members will be involved in very focused workgroups. Meeting regularly, they will carry out projects to advance interoperability as well as develop additional smart payment solutions, which would be difficult to achieve without the concentration of such industrial knowledge.

Philippe Combes on benefits for banks
"The creation of the Smart Payment Alliance means we will be able to better serve the payment market," says Philippe Combes, Executive Vice President of Operations and Financial Services at Gemplus. "The association will highlight the advantages of chip-based payment cards, encourage adoption and collaborate closely to develop added-value applications that meet our customers' needs today and tomorrow."

Marie-Jane Denis on interoperability
Marie-Jane Denis, Director of Finance Marketing and Solutions at Oberthur Card Systems, announces interoperability as one of the key messages. "To improve interoperability between all the elements of a payment card system, e.g. cards and terminals, the SPA will devise joint industry specifications - especially for value-added applications - whenever necessary and not already covered by the payment associations."

Bertrand Knopf on openness
Bertrand Knopf, Director of Banking and Loyalty Smart Cards at Axalto, emphasizes that broad industry coverage through the Alliance's membership base is crucial for success. "Of course, the association is open to additional members from the payment card industry. Card vendors, terminal vendors, and payment associations willing to contribute to the success of EMV and multi-application cards are welcome and invited to join."

Michael Kuemmerle on competition
Michael Kuemmerle, Executive Vice President of Payment Cards at Giesecke & Devrient, commenting on the competitive situation among the members, says, "The different companies will facilitate market growth together while continuing to compete for market share by differentiating their products and services."

For more information, visit the SPA Web site: www.smartpaymentalliance.org

Or contact the SPA by e-mail: [e-mail]



About Axalto

Axalto (Euronext: NL0000400653 AXL) is the world's leading provider of microprocessor cards (Gartner Dataquest 2004) - the key to digital networks - and a major supplier of point-of-sale terminals. Its 4500 employees come from 70 nationalities and serve customers in more than 100 countries, with worldwide sales reaching 3 billion smart cards to date. The company has 25 years' experience in smart card innovation and leads its industry in security technology and open systems.

Axalto continuously creates new generations of products for use in a variety of applications in the telecommunications, finance, retail, transport, entertainment, healthcare, personal identification, information technology and public sector markets. Microprocessor cards provide convenience, security and privacy to public and private services operators, their customers and end users.

All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.


For more info, please visit www.axalto.com


About Gemplus

About Gemplus Gemplus International S.A. (Euronext: LU0121706294 - GEM and NASDAQ: GEMP) is the world's leading player in the smart card industry in both revenue and total shipments (source: Gartner-Dataquest (2004), Frost & Sullivan, Datamonitor.). It has sold over 4 billion smart cards.
With security at its core, and 2400 patents produced by its innovative R&D team, Gemplus delivers a wide range of portable, personalized solutions in areas including Identity, Mobile Telecommunications, Public Telephony, Banking, Retail, Transport, Healthcare, WLAN, Pay-TV, e-government, and access control. Gemplus' revenue in 2003 was 749 million Euros.
www.gemplus.com


About Giesecke & Devrient

Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) is a technology leader in the field of smart cards, providing systems and solutions for telecommunications, electronic payment transactions, transportation, health, ID, loyalty, and multimedia applications as well as Internet security (PKI). G&D is also a leading provider of banknotes and securities as well as currency processing equipment. The Giesecke & Devrient Group, headquartered in Munich, Germany, operates subsidiaries and joint ventures all over the world. G&D employs around 6,800 people worldwide and generates an annual revenue in excess of €1.05 billion.
For more information, visit www.gi-de.com


About Oberthur Card Systems

With sales of 430.1 million Euros in 2003, Oberthur Card Systems is one of the world's leading providers of card-based solutions, software and applications including SIM and multi-application smart cards as well as services ranging from consulting to personalization. Innovative products, security expertise and high quality services ensure Oberthur Card Systems' strong positioning in its main target markets.

Payment & Services: 54% of 2003 revenues. World leader and number one supplier of Visa and MasterCard payment cards.
Mobile Communications: 33% of 2003 revenues, with open and interoperable solutions based on Java™ technology.
Identity: strong positions in pilots throughout the world.
Multimedia: leading position in the Pay-TV market with an end-to-end expertise in the value chain - software development, manufacturing and personalization.
Transit: focus in the high-end segment with a microprocessor-based offer. Close to its customers, the company benefits from an industrial and commercial presence across all five continents.
Listed on the Euronext Stock Exchange (ISIN : FR0000124133) since July 2000, Oberthur Card Systems is a subsidiary of the François-Charles Oberthur Group. For more information, visit www.oberthurcs.com





Odile Bibollet

Media Relations

Axalto

Tel : [phone]

Fax : [phone]




Source : La Société

[maywillow] 21/1/2005 19:29

LONDON (AFX) - Intercede Group PLC, which provides smart card and identity
management software, said it has received an order in excess of 0.5 mln stg from
Gemplus for a major European customer.
Since 2003, Intercede and Gemplus have developed a strong partnership built
around Intercede's MyID Smart Card and Identity Management System, as part of
Gemplus' smart card-based corporate ID solution, SafesITe.
"The order reinforces the mutual importance of Gemplus as an Intercede
partner and illustrates that our combined solutions have matured into a
compelling offering to the market," said Richard Parris, chairman and chief
executive.
[e-mail]
slm/

[maywillow] 21/1/2005 14:15

Gemplus Signs Cross-Licensing Agreement With Axalto



Thursday January 20, 6:26 AM EST


LONDON (Dow Jones)--Gemplus International SA (GEMP), the French smart card manufacturer, Thursday said it has entered into a non-exclusive cross-licensing agreement with microprocessor card maker Axalto NV (AXL.FR).

The deal will grant the companies broad rights under respective patents in the areas of smart cards and related devices. Gemplus said it will allow the companies to compete more freely in the growing markets for their products.

No financial details were provided.

Company Web site:

-By Nic Fildes, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9264; nicolas.fildes@ dowjones.com

[waldron] 04/1/2005 18:51

Chip and PIN programme hails successful transition despite retailer criticism



Published:
04/01/2005 15:17:00 The UK's Chip and PIN programme says the nationwide transition to the new point-of-sale security technology has been a success, despite fierce condemnation of the effort by the Forum of Private Business (FPB).
More than 45 chip and PIN transactions took place every second across the country over the bank holiday weekend, with more than 12 million transactions verified by PIN rather than signature, according to the Chip and PIN programme.


But despite the threat of a liability shift from banks to retailers, two in ten retailers have yet to upgrade tills to accept both chip and PIN and signature cards. Retailers that haven't upgraded to the new technology will now be liable for fraudulent transactions rather than banks.


The Forum of Private Business has accused banks of pushing implemention of the system before retailers and consmers are ready. According to a Press Association report, FPB says more then 50 million chip cards are still to be issued, with Barclays and HSBC both admitting that one in three of their customers haven't received a chip and PIN card.


FPB chief Nick Goulding told PA: "FPB members have been contacting us complaining that they are still waiting for their chip and PIN machines, and it is estimated a quarter of business have not installed the technology."


But the Chip and PIN programme says retailers were pleased with the first weekend, with Nick Mourant, group treasurer at UK supermarket Tesco saying: "Contrary to media reports we found that thousand of cardholders used their PIN every hour with no problem. Queuing times have stayed the same or got shorter."

[grupo] 30/12/2004 11:18

Government issued smart cards: Lowering issuance costs and educating the consumer
Tuesday, December 28 2004
A panel of ID industry experts provided predictions for 2005. One of these glimpses into the future will appear here each day during December.

by Patrick W. Hearn, Business Development Director - Government and ID, Oberthur Card Systems

Over the past several months we have seen a rapid move on the part of Bush Administration to put in place a base line standard to credential government employees and contractors. HSPD-12 has given a boost to advocates of stronger credentialing standards while at the same time placing significant challenges to those who have already invested in such programs. To date it is not entirely clear whether the direction will be one of "evolution" or "revolution" as seen with the draft NIST standards. Should the latter be chosen, it could significantly delay the intent of HSPD-12.


The Business Case for ID Issuance with Government Bodies

Although Departments like DoD, due to economy of scale, have the capacity to personalize ID cards to its employees, smaller government departments and agencies such as Treasury, Labor, Education, FDIC etc would be well placed to consider the competitive advantages of partnering with the private sector to handle fully personalized ID issuance. In short, is it worth spending over $13.00 per card, as can be the case for an organization that chooses to undertake identity card issuance in-house when an equally secure private sector partner can achieve the same goals for far less?

Privacy Concerns of the Citizen

Government programs in either identity credentialing or identity issuance are at a stage where the public at large is beginning to take notice (TWIC, ePassport, Federal Standards for Driver's Licenses).

With a clear direction towards the use of biometrics and contactless technology, government will need to express much more clearly how they will safeguard the identity of the American citizen from ID theft. Smart Card manufacturers have developed highly robust products and services that counter ID theft.

As such, it will be the private sector's job to demonstrate what the technology means and for Government to illustrate how they are using it. Without proactively engaging the broader American public, stakeholders run the risk of critics derailing what are often programs that enhance liberty and security.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Visit Oberthur on the web at www.oberthurcs.com.

[grupo] 30/12/2004 09:57

Airport Biometrics Preparing To Take Flight In France Dec. 29, 2004



More Stories on:
Administration
Privacy
Security



The French Civil Aviation Authority is beginning a six-month analysis of fingerprint, iris, and facial-recognition data; the objective: decide which biometric technology is most reliable.
By Larry Greenemeier



The use of biometric technology will move a step closer to being recognized as a viable security measure at airports worldwide next week. The French Civil Aviation Authority, or Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC), on Monday begins a six-month analysis of fingerprint, iris, and facial-recognition biometric data collected since October at airports in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Nice, Paris, and Toulouse.
"The objective is to decide which biometric technology is most reliable, then let each airport chose its own," says Laurent Wagneur, director of French IT service provider Euxia SA, which is working with Belgian biometric systems integrator BioWise NV on the project. The European Aviation Safety Agency, which regulates aviation safety across the European Union, has mandated that airports across the EU test biometrics to see if this technology can improve security.

At Lyon's airport, Euxia and BioWise worked with A4Vision Inc., a provider of 3-D facial-imaging and recognition systems, to create security badges containing facial-recognition data for 500 pilots, mechanics, and other employees with access to the airport's highly secure tarmac area. The airport hopes to issue as many as 5,000 of these ID badges by June to all of its employees, Wagneur says.

The most significant attributes of 3-D facial-recognition technology are speed and accuracy. Three-dimensional facial images are captured either using a number of digital cameras positioned around the subject's face or by using a structured light grid that captures facial-structure data. This data is stored in a back-end database, where it can be retrieved and compared against other facial images.

"The problem with 2-D is that it is very sensitive to the environment, such as lights and shadows," Wagneur says. Although 3-D facial-recognition technology costs about $2,700 per kiosk, roughly twice as much as a fingerprint-scanning system, the technology isn't subject to the same wear and tear as a fingerprint scanner.

The biometric testing projects under way could play a significant role in the development of Europe's larger s-Travel program, to test use of biometrics, smart cards, and digital signatures during passenger check-in and boarding at airports. BioWise, air transport IT provider Socit Internationale de Tlcommunications Aronautiques (SITA), smart-card maker Gemplus International SA, and others have been testing s-Travel since the project's 2003 launch at Alitalia airline's facilities at Italy's Milan Malpensa Airport and Greece's Athens International Airport.

The greatest challenge to successful biometrics in Europe, as in the United States, isn't the technology but how well airlines and airports protect employee and passenger data collected for these programs. France's privacy commission, Commission Nationale de l'informatique et des Libertés, is wary of government agencies or commercial entities using data collected at airports for their own purposes, Wagneur says. "They don't want the police or government agency going to the airports to get information about people."

The U.S. government also is testing 3-D facial recognition technology. The Department of Defense hopes that by the middle of 2005 it will be able to test at the nation's boarders wireless mobile identification technology that can snap 3-D images of people moving into and out of the United States, and check those images against a database of 3-D mug shots. The government already has invested $700,000 in the project, which is being run by A4Vision and Unisys Corp.

A4Vision is deploying its technology primarily in airports and banks in France, Italy, and Singapore, and will soon begin an installation at a stadium in France, says Kelly Richdale, A4Vision's senior VP for worldwide sales.

The Homeland Security Department in October adopted its first biometric facial recognition standard, which supports visual human-facial comparison and computer automated comparisons for watch-list checks and for computer identification and verification. This standard was developed by the International Committee for Information Technology Standards ( INCITS), a standards-development organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute. The standard is expected to facilitate the interchange of photographs across systems and assist in the future development of interoperable biometric applications.

[maywillow] 26/12/2004 11:57

BT's Big Brother fears over ID cards
Simon Fluendy, Financial Mail on Sunday, Mail on Sunday
26 December 2004
BOSSES at telecoms group BT are debating whether to bid for contracts worth billions of pounds for ID card technology after being warned that it could make the public view it as a 'Big Brother' company.

The telecoms giant, which still runs most of the UK's phone services, is concerned that its reputation with the public could suffer if it became too closely associated with the controversial identity cards.

It has approached consultants and public bodies including Liberty, the civil liberties campaign group, and asked how the public would perceive it working on the project.

One source told the Financial Mail on Sunday: 'I warned BT that people would call it Big Brother. Public perception is obviously a matter of concern for it.'


Last week, the Government started the process of bringing in ID cards. It has said they will be voluntary and police will not have the right to demand to see them, but it is widely feared that once introduced they will become compulsory.


Experts say that aside from a huge database computer, the cards, which could cost £85 each, will also require a vast amount of infrastructure, which BT is well placed to provide.


BT director Andy Green is believed to have met ministers, including former Home Secretary David Blunkett, but a spokesman said BT had not decided whether to bid for any ID card contracts and denied it had lobbied for the introduction of the cards.


But the telecoms company did fund a private lobby meeting in July between computer industry trade body Intellect and Government ministers and officials, which discussed the topic. BT was also present.


It has also held its own meetings with Government officials to demonstrate that it had the vital technology to make plans for cards carrying fingerprints or retina scans work.

Nick Kalisperas, director of public sector at Intellect, said the briefings run by his body were designed to explain to officials what could be done. He said: 'Private briefings between bodies such as Intellect and the Government allow companies to talk more freely. Single company briefings are generally more commercial about specific technologies.'


BT would probably go into partnership with other computer companies if it decided to bid for any contracts. But it might find itself in competition with its former head of retail, Pierre Danon. He quit to join the French software consultancy Cap Gemini, which is understood to be preparing a bid for a new electronic ID card to be introduced in France and is expected to be involved in the UK.

[waldron] 20/12/2004 08:09

LONDON (AFX) - Intercede Group PLC six months to September 30 2004
Sales - 535,000 stg vs 878,000
Pretax loss - 558,000 stg vs loss 269,000
Loss per share - 1.1 pence vs LPS 0.8

vjt/

[waldron] 19/12/2004 06:02

'Chip and pin' security warning

Chip and pin machines aim to cut credit card fraud
A leading security expert has warned that new chip and pin credit and debit cards could be open to fraud.
Professor Ross Anderson, from Cambridge University, says villains will be able to capture card and pin data to "make up" forged cards.

But the banking industry has rejected his concerns, saying the system is extremely robust.

More than three-quarters of card holders already hold one of the new chip and pin cards.

Problems predicted

Instead of using signatures, customers punch a four-digit code into a special keypad.

Now we're all being trained to use our pins at the point of sale it's a simple matter to set up a market stall and capture card and pin data

Professor Ross Anderson

The cards include a "smart" chip, a better way of storing information than the existing magnetic strips.

They are being introduced to cut fraud with all UK cards expected to be switched to chip and pin by the end of 2005.

But Mr Anderson, an expert in security engineering, predicts problems.

"The sort of thing that I expect to go wrong is that villains will set up in business with equipment that will capture customer pins," he said.

"Now we're all being trained to use our pins at the point of sale it's a simple matter to set up a market stall and capture card and pin data.

"They can make up forged cards and use them, for example, at cash machines."

'Extremely secure'

But Sandra Quinn, who speaks for banks and retailers on chip and pin cards, insists that will not happen.

"We don't think they can use fake machines because the machines themselves are engineered to read the chip so they must be reading the chip very carefully.

USING CHIP AND PIN CARDS
Card is inserted in chip and pin terminal at checkout
Check the amount on the screen
Enter your pin on the keypad
You will be given a receipt

"That makes the transaction itself extremely secure."

The industry points to a similar programme launched in France more than a decade ago which led to an 80% drop in card fraud.

Research published last week suggested that one in five people using the new chip and pin cards were still signing for goods rather than using a pin number.

From 1 January, retailers can refuse to accept signatures if the customer has a chip and pin card.

According to the research by card provider Visa, some people were not using their pin because they had not memorised it while other shoppers said the new system made them nervous.

[ariane] 16/12/2004 10:42

-Oberthur, up 0.22 eur or 4.18 pct at 5.48 eur after the company said it won
a two-year order from Societe Generale to make and personalise more than half
the payment cards issued by Societe Generale worldwide and by Groupe Credit du
Nord.

[ariane] 02/12/2004 08:52

LONDON (AFX) - ID Data PLC warned that higher than anticipated costs in the
first half are likely to result in losses for the current year being higher than
previously expected.
The pretax loss in the half-year to end-Sept grew to 2.7 mln stg from a loss
of 1.7 mln a year earlier despite an 86 pct increase in turnover to 10.2 mln
stg.
The board said the cost base has now been significantly reduced which should
benefit the group going forward, thereby giving the directors optimism for the
group's medium-term prospects.
In the first half, banking and financial sector sales were up 135 pct,
helped by two major contract wins. Retail card sales were up 154 pct, helped by
loyalty and gift cards.
The card industry is now showing very strong demand across all sectors.
ID Data said it sees an opportunity in the government's plans for a national
ID card as it is the only British-owned smart card producer.
Since the end of the half-year, turnover for October and November 2004 has
been 3.3 mln stg with a visible sales pipeline of 4.8 mln into March 2005, the
group added.
Chairman Michael Blackburn said that, having made significant progress, the
company is focused on improving production efficiency and global reach to
achieve profitability. A significant step will be the relocation of the Lewes
plant and equipment which is capable of producing 200 million cards a year.
To this end the group is currently in negotiation with potential
joint-venture partners to establish a low-cost manufacturing site in eastern
Europe.
With the card market increasingly buoyant, ID Data is well placed to build
on its recent successes in reinforcing its position as a quality provider of
technology and end-to-end solutions and achieving sustainable, predictable
growth, the board said.
[e-mail]
slm/

[ariane] 02/12/2004 07:39

RNS Number:9104F
ID Data PLC
02 December 2004


Press release 2nd December 2004


ID Data plc

Interim Results for the six months ended 30 September 2004

and trading update



ID Data ("ID Data" or "the Company"), the provider of secure, card-based
transaction systems and services to the international telephony, banking, retail
and secure access sectors, today reports its interim results for the six months
ended 30 September 2004.



Highlights


* Group turnover ahead 86% at #10.2 million


* Operating loss of #1.9 million after losses from acquisitions and
discontinued operations


* Exceptional loss of #633,000 with closure of OneEighty Software


* Acquired CardBASE Technologies Limited for #2.4 million with a share
exchange at 7p per share


* Banking and financial sector sales up 135% helped by two major contract
wins


* Retail card sales up 154%, helped by loyalty and gift cards


* Card industry now showing very strong demand across all sectors


* National ID card plans an opportunity for ID Data as the only British-
owned smart card producer

* Turnover October and November 2004 #3.3 million with visible sales
pipeline of #4.8 million




Commenting on the Interim Results, Michael Blackburn, Chairman of ID Data plc,
said:



"The group is now benefiting from the work undertaken to position the business
as a major solutions provider to the banking, retail and Government sectors. We
have gained significant industry-leading contract wins with global payment
organisations and leading retailers.



"The introduction of Chip and PIN smart cards in banking is having a positive
effect on our revenues and reinforces our decision to purchase CardBASE
Technologies Limited.



For further information, please contact:

ID Data plc Tel: [phone]
Peter Cox, Chief Executive
Email: [e-mail]
Martin Coles, Finance Director
Email: [e-mail]


KBC Peel Hunt Limited Tel: [phone]
Oliver Scott



Media enquiries:
Abchurch Tel: [phone]
Peter Curtain / Chris Lane
Email: [e-mail]






Chief Executive's Review



The past six months have been exciting and demanding. While sales grew by 86%,
operating losses increased slightly due to cost inefficiencies on integrating
recent acquisitions.



Your Company's global strategy has been to focus on two key revenue lines.



1. Card services and solutions, where we provide everything around the physical
card, including the manufacture, data management, personalisation, delivery to
the consumer on behalf of our clients, and back-office card-management systems.



2. The provision of intellectual property, where the Company earns predictable,
recurring revenues from licensing its software around the world.



Card Industry Overview



The last five years have seen significant losses across the sector as capacity
exceeded demand. Now the smart-card industry is experiencing increased demand
as banks introduce smart cards for Chip and PIN, retailers seek efficiencies,
telecom companies expand and governments, influenced by geopolitical trends,
focus on security and identity controls.



Against this background, ID Data has been actively developing its products,
services and processing capabilities to address increased demand.



Banking



Since winning two significant orders in the period from two of the world's
largest issuers of financial cards, ID Data has seen the successful introduction
of this business and enhanced systems to ensure their exacting standards are
met. The benefits of these contracts will start to flow through in the second
half of this year.



Our work under the Post Office Account Card contract, to date the UK's largest
government smart card initiative, was extended to 2011.



The CardBASE acquisition enables us to offer industry-leading card management
software to banks and other financial organisations around the world. The
financial sector promises exceptional growth as some 1.8 billion credit and
debit cards move to Chip and PIN globally and new secure-payment methods emerge
for both the unbanked, through pre-authorised debit cards, and internet users.
With competitive, compatible solutions for this sector, ID Data sees major
growth opportunities in its financial services business.



Retail



As the largest provider of retail and loyalty cards in Europe, ID Data has won
contract renewals with Tesco and Nectar in the loyalty area. As banks are
rolling out advanced, Chip and PIN and point of sale technologies, retailers can
now adapt the new smart-card infrastructure for their own needs, such as
internet shopping and online loyalty redemption using smart cards.



Working with Tesco, ID Data has introduced bar-coded key fobs as an alternative
method of data collection, delivering leading-edge technology in advance of our
competitors.



Globally, retailers are focusing on smart-card applications such as radio
frequency identification (RFID) to enhance their competitiveness, and ID Data is
responding to demand for these new technologies.





Telephony



In telephony, the largest volume industry sector for smart cards, scale and
price are the market differentiators. Consistent with its strategy of moving
from commodity products to value-added services and solutions, ID Data has
decided to withdraw from this highly price-sensitive market, instead focusing on
more profitable sectors.



Government



ID Data has developed a range of secure solutions for the UK and international
markets in this fast-growing sector. A significant proportion of Europe's 450
million-strong population will require identity cards, plastic drivers' licences
and health cards thus offering significant potential. The acquisition of
CardBASE, together with our secure-production, position us well to provide local
and national identity solutions.



We believe that as the only British-owned smart-card company, we are uniquely
placed to participate in any introduction of national ID cards in the UK, having
contributed to the consultation process and formed strategic alliances to offer
a comprehensive and compelling solution.



Acquisitions and disposals



CardBASE



The July acquisition of CardBASE Technologies Limited for #2.4 million in shares
has brought significant software skills and proven technology in card
management, e-purse applications and public key infrastructure (PKI) solutions.



CardBASE products enable us to sell not only directly through our own network,
but also via developing a global reseller network to banks, governments and
other card processing companies. The synergies are being demonstrated and,
armed with this technology, we are confident of making progress.



One Eighty Software



ORIGIN-J was seen by us as a major business opportunity. However, delays in
development and a reduction of product differentiation in this market led your
Board to decide that the venture had become too risky to sustain, considering ID
Data's size. We therefore decided to withdraw financial support for OneEighty
and acquire its intellectual property, which can be offered to larger
corporations to exploit.



Full provision, resulting in an exceptional cost of #633,000, has been made for
investments and loans made to OneEighty in the period. Any sale of technology or
licensing agreements should make a positive contribution in the future.



Financial Review



The increase in turnover from #5.4 million to #10.2 million reflects the
acquisition of Mids & Horsey Ltd in March 2004 and subsequent contract wins
during the period. The increase in business coincided with the closure of our
Lewes plant and moving work to our sites in Corby and Petersfield and this has
impacted on recent production efficiencies. Whilst the cost of closing the Lewes
plant was provided for in the March 2004 results, in the six months under review
the business incurred some #800,000 in higher payroll and outsourcing charges
due to disruption and an uneven spread of business throughout the period. Under
normal circumstances the increase in sales would have shown improvement in the
operating result from continuing activities.



The Company's net debt has increased from #3.3 million to #5.9 million primarily
reflecting the operating result for the period and #542,000 cash outflow in
respect of exceptional costs of closing the Lewes plant.



The Company has now repaid a significant leasing commitment entered into five
years ago and this will improve cash flows by #75,000 per month.



Outlook



Having made significant progress, your Company is focused on improving
production efficiency and global reach to achieve profitability. A significant
step will be the relocation of our Lewes plant and equipment which is capable of
producing 200 million cards a year. To this end we are currently in negotiation
with potential joint-venture partners to establish a low-cost manufacturing site
in eastern Europe.



Turnover during October and November 2004 amounted to #3.3 million and there is
already a visible sales pipeline to March 2005 of #4.8 million. Further sales
are expected in the period but as yet are not confirmed.



Whilst the higher than anticipated costs in the first half are likely to result
in losses for the current year being higher than previously expected, the cost
base has now been significantly reduced which should benefit the Group going
forward, thereby giving the Directors' optimism for the Group's medium-term
prospects.



With the card market increasingly buoyant, ID Data is well placed to build on
its recent successes in reinforcing our position as a quality provider of
technology and end-to-end solutions and achieving sustainable, predictable
growth.



Peter J Cox

[grupo guitarlumber] 30/11/2004 11:12

LONDON (AFX) - The government has admitted that the cost of introducing
identity cards will be almost double its original estimate of 3 bln stg, the
Financial Times reported.
The Home Office now estimates that the introduction of identity cards will
cost 5.5 bln usd to get running over 10 years, the financial broadsheet said.
The original estimate was made two years ago.
Reported latest figure will fuel doubts about the the cost-effectiveness of
the plan, which Prime Minister Tony Blair gave his backing to yesterday, the FT
said.
the ID cards -- featuring biometric details such as fingerprints and iris
scans -- are scheduled to be phased in from 2007-2008, as people apply to renew
their 10-year British passports.
[e-mail]
lc/pvh/ims/

[ariane] 19/11/2004 08:44

Do loyalty cards invade our privacy?
Martha Buckley
BBC News



What kind of data is gathered at the checkouts?
According to David Blunkett there's no need for us to be scared of his national identity cards as they will be no worse than the loyalty card schemes we sign up to voluntarily.
As he waved a Nectar card around in the Commons on Wednesday, the home secretary said it was high time someone looked into the way personal information stored by such schemes.

But how much information do loyalty cards really store about us and is it fair to compare them to state ID cards?

According to Loyalty Management UK, which runs the Nectar - the country's biggest loyalty scheme - the cards are not nearly as sinister as Mr Blunkett made out.

The government wants ID cards containing biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scans to be compulsory by 2013.

These would hold information on everything from medical details, benefits entitlement and criminal records, which could be accessed by police and other authorities.

The voluntary Nectar scheme, on the other hand, collects strictly limited personal information and data on shopping habits and is governed by the 1988 Data Protection Act.

Basic data, such as name, address, gender and contact details, is provided voluntarily by Nectar collectors when they sign up.

Members can also choose whether or not to provide additional information such as how many people there are in their household, how many cars they own and where they shop.

Not only do we not collect information on what brand of toothpaste you're buying but to be honest, we don't care

Brian Sinclair


After this, each time the card is used to collect points, details of the date, location and points earned - but not what was actually bought - will be sent to Nectar.

The information is stored in one of the country's largest databases but is not sold on or shared with companies outside the scheme.

Instead, it is used to target Nectar collectors with offers designed to encourage them to collect more points and to tempt them into using the sponsors' shops and businesses.

What the data will be used for is explained on the Nectar registration form and those who object can tick a selection of opt-out boxes.

Brian Sinclair, Loyalty Management UK's client services director, says: "Not only do we not collect information on what brand of toothpaste you're buying but to be honest, we don't care."

"We do not capture information about what's actually in people's shopping baskets, though others may do."

However, member companies, such as Sainsbury's may also use the scheme to collect more detailed information on the products customers buy, which they will use for marketing purposes.
Nectar says it never sells on customers' details

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: "Sainsbury's does know what you are buying but we do not use this information to target people on an individual basis.

"Instead it goes into a database, which we can use to see whether, for example, customers in a certain area like buying healthy food, or look at what kind of products are popular with women aged 20 to 30.

"We might then decide to send out customer offers to people in those categories."

Loyalty Management UK estimates Nectar is one of some 160 loyalty schemes operating in the UK - not all of which may be as scrupulous about what they do with the data they collect.

Mr Sinclair said: "We are the biggest in the marketplace and as such I think we have to be the most protective and careful about how we use our customers' information.

"To try and make a comparison between mandatory state-run ID cards and a voluntary loyalty scheme is pretty extreme."

He says the firm works closely with the Information Commissioner, who regulates data protection rules.


I wish we could trust the Home Office to be as alert to privacy concerns as some of the supermarkets, and that's saying something

Simon Davies
Since the 1998 Data Protection Act came into force in has been illegal for companies to sell on people's details without their consent or for uses other than those they were originally told about.

Often this simply means companies ask people to tick a box to say if they do not want their details passed on.

Simon Davies, director of campaign group Privacy International, says the home secretary's comparison of loyalty cards to compulsory identity cards is "ridiculous".

He said: "The loyalty card system is as close as we get to a genuinely voluntary system.


"There are few some sneaky tricks involved on the part of the supermarkets, at least, but in general, there's been a trend to limit the amassing of the information because it's a false economy.

"What companies are looking for is actually loyalty. They want people to shop at their stores consistently. It's a very simple equation and I haven't got a problem with that."

"I believe the big loyalty schemes are relatively paranoid about breaching the Data Protection Act because if they did, they would lose their customers' trust and would be such big targets for campaigners.

We should be creating a climate in which customers are more aware and more empowered and learn to see their personal information as a valuable resource

Susanne Lace

"I wish we could trust the Home Office to be as alert to privacy concerns as some of the supermarkets, and that's saying something."

Mr Davies said he was most concerned about the Information Commissioner's lack of power to enforce data protection laws and make sure people's personal information is not being traded illegally.

Susanne Lace, senior policy officer at the National Consumer Council, was more wary.

She said: "From my research I have found people do not know much about how their information is dealt with and how it's handled. They are not very aware of what is going on but when you ask them about privacy, they are concerned about it.

"David Blunkett says now is a good time to start debating what is known about us and I think he's right. It is a good time."

She said: "The Information Commission actually regulates the Data Protection Act but it needs stronger powers and more resources. Almost every organisation in the country stores some kind of information about its customers or staff, so it is a huge job.

"I don't think firms do enough at the moment to let people know about what they are doing with their information. They should be more upfront and provide ongoing chances for people to choose what information they would like to be used.

"We should be creating a climate in which customers are more aware and more empowered and learn to see their personal information as a valuable resource."

[waldron] 18/11/2004 18:37

French smart card producer plots quick gains

www.chinaview.cn 2004-11-18 07:40:24

BEIJING, Nov. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- French smart card maker Gemplus International SA hopes to stimulate growth in China with the opening of a new production base and preparation of a third generation (3G) mobile communications system.

"The opening of this plant is just one more step of our continued investment and strengthening our technical capability to develop this market," said Alex Mandl, president and CEO of the world's largest smart card maker, reported China Daily Thursday.

The company opened a new plant yesterday for Gemplus Tianjin, a joint venture between the French firm and its partner China Putian Group.

The new factory mainly produces smart cards for mobile phones based on the global system for mobile communications (GSM) and code division multiple access (CDMA) standards, fixed-line phones, personal access system (PAS) phones, as well as 3G phones.

Although Gemplus provided the first subscriber identity module (SIM) card in the country and controls about 30 per cent of the telecom smart card market, its Tianjin production facility was rented from a local industrial park.

The new 50,000-square-metre factory will be wholly owned by Tianjin Gemplus, which was believed to represent Gemplus's decision to become rooted into the Chinese market and reduce costs.

Mandl declined to disclose the exact costs of building the new plant, but he said the investment accounted for a large portion of Gemplus International's capital investments this year.

In the past 10 years, Gemplus has made 400 million telephone cards in its previous Tianjin plant, which had an annual production capacity of 150 million cards. Although the capacity of the new plant will be around 200 million cards a year in its initial stage, Mandl said the company will easily thrust capacity upward with additional resources if market demand requires it.

Besides expanding production and cutting costs, preparation for the launch of 3G in China and other markets is a major reason for the Gemplus move. Philippe Vallee, executive vice-president in charge of Gemplus' telecom business unit, said the 3G mobile system requires a smart card capacity, so Tianjin Gemplus requires additional advanced technologies and equipment.

He said Gemplus provided smart cards in a field test for three major 3G standards organized by the Ministry of Industry, which concluded in September.

(China Daily)