ABnote Global Blog

Mastercard TSM Certification

MasterCard NFC Contactless PaymentOn January 25th ABnote Australasia achieved MasterCard Trusted Service Manager (TSM) Certification for Australia and New Zealand.

The TSM hubs, located in Ingleburn NSW and Christchurch NZ, are the first in Australasia to successfully complete the compliance process and receive approval by MasterCard’s Mobile Partner Program. MasterCard certification allows ABnote to provide TSM services such as secure management and over-the-air application download and personalisation to NFC-enabled mobile phones.  The TSM delivers interoperability between mobile operators and financial issuers over a safe platform to securely provision payment and offer applications across a network on a secure element that is embedded within a mobile handset, Micro SD, iPhone sleeve or Sim Card (UICC chip)

With ABnote TSM, banks and service providers have a, cost-effective, easy to use, standardized and secure method to transfer and install MasterCard PayPass™ enabled payment account information, on demand, in real time, onto NFC enabled mobile phones. Once provisioned, consumers can immediately use their mobile phone at merchant locations where PayPass™  is accepted.

Secure TSM services are essential for NFC

NFC – based contactless services offer major benefits to consumers in terms of speed and convenience, however the implementation of these services and the multiplayer nature of delivering the solutions to the end user; which generally involves banks, mobile operators and retailers creates a unique challenge for issuers; how do these companies collaborate to deliver a seamless solution across a multitude of devices? The Trusted Service Manager (TSM) delivers predictable consistency to the complex multi player NFC Ecosystem by delivering the service provider’s application across a customer base using one common contact point. MasterCard TSM certification gives assurance to financial institutions that confidentiality and integrity of payment data is protected to MasterCard requirements during the entire management process MasterCard works alongside vendors to offer secure NFC payment solutions to its issuing banks. They ollaborate with technological enablers like ABnote to allow financial institutions to rollout NFC MasterCard  PayPass™ mobile services safely, making the fast-paced lifestyles of consumers just that little bit easier, as well as spurring the growth of contactless payments in the market.

ABnote helps Banks to commercialise contactless mobile payments

With our many years of experience in EMV contact and contactless payment cards we are able to deliver complete solutions for the commercial roll-out of NFC TSM services and meet the rapidly growing demand for NFC applications. The MasterCard certification is yet another milestone for us to showcase our technological capability and enable the NFC ecosystem to grow in the Trans-Tasman region.

Our TSM solves implementation headaches for service providers

ABnote’s  readiness to provide commercial TSM services and its MasterCard certification is an important step in enabling financial institutions to leverage their investment in, and commercialise their contactless mobile payment services. The completed certification demonstrates our compliance with the stringent security requirements set by MasterCard and the first in Australasia to achieve it.

{ 0 comments }

ABnote’s International Business Unit

by uwe ludwig January 12, 2012 Identity
Thumbnail image for ABnote’s International Business Unit

Background In the latter part of 2011 I was invited to establish a focused international business unit for the ABnote Group. I have had a strong and successful career in the Identity market, and specifically in the provision of products and solutions for credentialing and national identity projects. The opportunity presented by ABnote is expected [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Pathways to NFC

by David Montgomery January 6, 2012 NFC
Thumbnail image for Pathways to NFC

Hopefully you read my earlier blog on NFC Contactless Stickers in which I outlined the reasons why a contactless sticker is a great way for an Issuer to begin to build their NFC strategy and experience. I think stickers are a good first step along the path to supporting full NFC capable devices. Kaching! In [...]

1 comment Read the full article →

Is the payment card dead?

by Richard Taylor November 20, 2011 Infrastructure
Payment cards

I have just attended the Cartes Exposition in Paris.  Cartes is reportedly the largest exposition dealing in the subjects of cards, ID and mobile payment.  This year’s exposition was certainly influenced by the resurgence of interest in the topic of mobile contactless payment.  NFC and TSM was the topic on every body’s lips.  Conference topics [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

What’s a TSM?

by Jerome Chavanel November 14, 2011 Infrastructure
TSM

CARTES is just around the corner and like every year, it will bring innovation, discussion, presentations and analysis of trends. But this year, NFC will be on every lip. With NFC, comes the usual discussion on how to bind two worlds (cards services like payment and transit, and Mobile world). Nobody will have the same [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

The impact of smart phones on payments in S Africa

by David Bulmer November 12, 2011 Infrastructure
Thumbnail image for The impact of smart phones on payments in S Africa

Recent surveys into the types of handsets used by South Africa have yielded surprising results. Upwards off 20% of all cellphone users choose to utilise a smartphone as their preferred device. This adoption bodes well for the future of mobile payments. With the flurry of NFC enabled Android and Nokia phones combined with an increasing [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

NFC – Contactless payment stickers

by David Montgomery November 9, 2011 Infrastructure
paypass NFC sticker

One of the great things about working in a technology company is the opportunity to work on new and innovative projects with customers.  And part of that great experience involves sharing the collective learning, which in turn helps customers move confidently to adopt new technologies. NFC Payment Pilot The other day, I was discussing the [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Privacy by Design

by Richard Taylor November 1, 2011 Identity
privacy by design

In recently examining a range of global Government ID projects, I noticed that some of the most successful ones (if success is defined by adoption rates and use), share some common characteristics.  The successful projects are distinguished by offering: multi-application – to provide citizens with value and utility, 3rd party access to the infrastructure, security [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Mobile wallets must be fit for purpose

by John Ekers October 28, 2011 Infrastructure
mobile wallet

I was in the US this past July and  purchased a new wallet.  It was from my wife’s home town, made of leather and big enough for my Australian and international cards.  Fast forward to today.  What seemed like a good purchase at the time is now  a point of frustration.  It’s too large for my [...]

1 comment Read the full article →

NFC – without reinventing the wheel

by Thomas Bellenger October 21, 2011 Infrastructure
Thumbnail image for NFC – without reinventing the wheel

I was recently put in charge of ABnote Australia’s newly created mobile division. Having spent the last few months fine tuning how we can help financial services organisations make mobile payments happen, I thought it was time to stick my head above the parapet and share what appears to be something quite unique in our [...]

0 comments Read the full article →