Garanti Bank Rolls-Out Gemalto’s Most Advanced EMV Contactless Credit Cards in Turkey
Optelio multi-application card hosts EMV and contactless payment software, Garanti Bank’s Bonus loyalty scheme and e-ticketing ability on one single chip
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, September 23, 2008–Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, today announces it has been chosen by Garanti Bank, a leading credit card issuer in Turkey, for the deployment of the bank’s brand new Bonus TRINK program. The company provided Garanti Bank with its single-chip EMV contactless banking cards and Dexxis Central Issuance solution that enables in-house personalization. Gemalto also supplied consultancy services to assist the bank in the product specification. The agreement involves an initial order of 300,000 units, which are being deployed.
The Gemalto card features a wide range of value added applications comprising traditional EMV and contactless payment, Garanti Bank’s Bonus loyalty scheme and the Mifare capability that enables e-ticketing. It allows Garanti Bank customers to enjoy the speed and convenience of contactless payment at 4,000 acceptance points and in some 20 retailer chains. These include major fast food restaurants and supermarkets all across Turkey, as well as movie theaters and entertainment centers. In addition, Bonus TRINK cardholders may use their banking card as an e-ticket for public transportation in major Turkish cities or on shuttle boats and sea taxis across Bosphorus. They can also benefit from the Bonus loyalty program in both contact and contactless modes.
The high-end dual-interface Optelio Contactless card hosts both the EMV and contactless payment functionalities on the same microprocessor. It is fully compatible with Garanti Bank’s infrastructure. This card is able to process an EMV contactless transaction in less than 500 milliseconds, which makes it one of the fastest in the market.
“We selected Gemalto’s card for its remarkable speed,” commented Mrs. Reha Emekli, Vice President Garanti Technology-Payment Systems. “This is critical when hopping on a bus at rush hours or paying for purchases at retailers’ when a flock of shoppers stand in line at cashdesks.”
“Through this new contract, Garanti Bank is placing its trust in Gemalto’s technological expertise yet again,” added Philippe Cambriel, Executive Vice-President of the Secure Transactions Business Unit at Gemalto. “We appreciate this strong mark of confidence, which rewards our commitment to innovation in the banking sector. Gemalto has been a major partner of Garanti Bank since 2000, as we already provided the bank with several million multi-application smart cards. We are proud to support this remarkable new deployment, as EMV contactless is gaining momentum in Europe.”
About Gemalto
Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the leader in digital security with pro forma 2007 annual revenues of over €1.6 billion, more than 85 offices in 40 countries and about 10,000 employees including 1,300 R&D engineers. In a world where the digital revolution is increasingly transforming our lives, Gemalto’s solutions are designed to make personal digital interactions more convenient, secure and enjoyable. Gemalto provides end-to-end digital security solutions, from the development of software applications through design and production of secure personal devices such as smart cards, SIMs, e-passports, and tokens to the deployment of managed services for its customers. More than a billion people worldwide use the company’s products and services for telecommunications, financial services, e-government, identity management, multimedia content, digital rights management, IT security, mass transit and many other applications.
As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the company is poised to thrive over the coming years. For more information please visit http://www.gemalto.com.
Contacts
Gemalto
Rémi Calvet
Tel: +33 (0) 1 55 01 64 10
Mob: +33 (0) 6 22 72 81 58
E-mail: remi.calvet@gemalto.com
TBWACorporate
Sophie Mazoyer
Tel: +33 (0) 1 49 09 26 87
Mob: +33 (0) 6 07 21 08 77
E-mail: sophie.mazoyer@tbwa-corporate.com
Aline Borne
T.: +33 (0)1 55 01 51 05
M.: +33 (0)6 16 29 87 04
E-mail: aline.borne@gemalto.com