Gemplus and Euronet Worldwide Agreement To Offer Wireless Payment Solutions to Mobile Operators
Gemplus and Euronet Worldwide Agreement To Offer Wireless Payment Solutions to Mobile Operators
These SMS, SIM Toolkit and WAP based payment and mobile banking solutions are offered as a completely outsourced, wireless ASP solution to all mobile operators. Gemplus will leverage its 100 + dedicated mobile operator sales force and impressive customer base to promote Euronet’s products and services. Gemplus currently provides products and services to over 80% of all GSM operators. Euronet will operate the ASP data centers and manage every aspect of the integration between financial institutions, card organizations, wireless devices, and mobile operators.
The services offered will enable prepaid mobile phone subscribers to purchase and recharge additional prepaid airtime over their GSM phone, at a point of sale terminal, over the Internet, or at an ATM.
Since prepaid phone services are the fastest growing segment of the mobile phone market, Euronet’s prepaid electronic ReCharge products will have a significant impact on mobile operators’ P&L. Indeed, carriers will be able to eliminate paper-based logistics associated with scratch cards (production, delivery, inventory management), reduce significantly their distribution costs, enhance user experience (one-step recharge - any time, any place), and control churn.
These products are immediately available and mobile operators interested in them can be operational within a typical timeframe of 60 days.
The two companies are committed to continuously cooperating and co-developing innovative solutions and services providing mobile operators an expanding suite of next-generation mobile commerce products, including solutions in the areas of bill payment and bill presentment, event messaging and wireless e-purse solutions.
“Having Euronet Worldwide as our electronic financial transactions partner constitutes a perfect match of our STK technology and Euronet’s secure financial transaction technology,” said Philippe Lutman, Gemplus’ Director Marketing Wireless. “By combining forces, these market-ready turnkey solutions will allow mobile operators to quickly bring to market innovative mobile solutions. Consumers are continually seeking ways to access faster, easier ways to perform financial transactions and these combined technologies will quickly address this need.”
“This relationship marks a major milestone for our Euronet Wireless product line”, said Michael Brown, Euronet Worldwide Chairman and CEO. “The dynamic combination of our secure payment solutions and Gemplus’ STK technology and penetration into the mobile operator space and will make this turn-key ASP offering a winning choice for all mobile carriers. These exciting and innovative products are on the cutting edge of secure mobile payment technology and both companies are committed to delivering solutions that simplify consumers lives.”
Brown continued, “This agreement with Gemplus adds another integral partner in our strategy of expanding sale channels and distribution of our products by collaborating with dynamic companies around the world. Euronet's wireless partners --including Aether Systems, Inc. in the United States -- will help us reach our goal of being a dominant provider of secure wireless payment transaction solutions.”
As a global provider of secure financial transactions, Euronet continues to expand its geographic and marketplace presence throughout Europe, Middle East, Africa, the Americas and Asia / Pacific. This expansion allows our customers to provide their consumers a wide array of additional transaction touchpoints and provides Euronet continued transaction volume growth.
About Gemplus
Since its creation in 1988, Gemplus (www.gemplus.com) has been driving the worldwide deployment and marketing of smart card based specific applications and services for telecommunication, financial services and e-business security. Gemplus smart card technology has been a driving force in the deployment of wireless telephony since 1990, when SIM cards were introduced into the GSM standard. Since then, Gemplus has enhanced SIM technology to provide greater value-added services to most wireless operators and their network subscribers. Gemplus now provides products compliant with new transmission standards (2.5G,3G).
Gemplus is present throughout the value chain: chip design, software development, card management system and consulting. Gemplus provides its clients and partners with comprehensive, integrated, tailor-made solutions for their security, personalization and privacy management needs. In 2000, revenue was 1.205 Billions of Euros ($US 1295 millions), up 57% from the previous year's 767ME. Net income was 99 millions of Euros ($US 106 millions). Gemplus employs over 7870 people in more than 37 countries worldwide. Gemplus shares are traded on Euronext Paris S.A. First Market and on Nasdaq in the form of ADSs since December 11, 2000.
About Euronet Worldwide
Euronet Worldwide is a global provider of secure electronic financial transaction solutions. The company provides financial payment middleware, financial network gateways, outsourcing, and consulting services to financial institutions, brokerages, and mobile operators, in turn enabling their customers to access their personal financial information and perform secure financial transactions -- any time, any place. The company’s proprietary transaction management system powers financial transaction solutions for more than 200 clients in 60 countries as well as the company’s processing centers located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Euronet was recently ranked number two on the Deloitte & Touche Technical Fast 500, a ranking of the fastest growing technology companies in North America. The company owns and operates the largest independent ATM network in Europe with corporate headquarters in Leawood, Kansas, USA, and European headquarters in Budapest, Hungary. Visit our web site at www.euronetworldwide.com