New partnership will offer PULSE and LINK members the opportunity to access more than 300,000 cash machines in the U01 September 2006K and US
HOUSTON and LONDON—PULSE EFT Association LP, one of the leading ATM/debit networks in the United States, and LINK Interchange Network Ltd., the operator of the UK Cash Machine Network, today announced a reciprocal agreement that will allow the 4,200 financial institution participants in the PULSE ATM/debit network to offer their cardholders access to all but a handful of the more than 58,000 cash machines across the United Kingdom and allow LINK to offer its 38 participating financial institution members access to an additional 250,000 PULSE cash machines in the United States. PULSE and LINK are working to enable the first live transactions early in the new year.
John Hardy, Chief Executive, LINK, said, “This agreement represents a further step in LINK’s strategic international development plans. As the world’s busiest cash machine network, LINK has a proven track record in secure and reliable transaction processing on a large scale. PULSE participants will be able to offer their cardholders the convenience of access to cash through virtually every cash machine across the United Kingdom.” He added, “This is a significant development for the international payments industry and we look forward to working with PULSE and its participants.”
“PULSE is responding to the needs of its participants by giving issuers an international alternative at competitive interchange rates,” said PULSE President David R. Schneider. “Like PULSE in the US, LINK is an acknowledged leader in switching and settling cash machine transactions, with an emphasis on network infrastructure management, reliable and secure technology, and superior customer service.
“This strategic extension of ATM access into a region with high U.S. tourist and business traveler traffic will provide additional value to our participants’ cardholders,” Schneider added.
The agreement allows PULSE and LINK issuers to opt into the programme.
“This agreement extends our 25-year commitment to providing value-added services,” Schneider said. “By adding international capability to our portfolio of competitively priced electronic payments services, PULSE is continuing to innovate for the benefit of all our participants and their cardholders.”
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Media Enquiries:
LINK:
LINK press contacts
PULSE EFT Association:
Anne Rhodes +1 (800) 420 2122 / arhodes@pulse-eft.com
Notes to Editors:
About LINK Interchange Network Ltd
LINK is the operator of the UK cash machine network, connecting almost every cash machine in the UK. In the past five years the number of LINK cash machines has grown from 36,000 to over 58,000.
LINK's core business involves the provision of real-time ATM switching and settlement services to members of the LINK ATM Scheme.
The LINK ATM Scheme brings together 105 million card holders and 58,000 ATMs in the UK and provides a 24-hour, 365-days a year, real-time, fully-authorised transaction processing and settlement service at 100% availability.
LINK is diversifying its service range and customer base and has innovated through technology and relationship development across financial services, retail, mobile and the public sector. Connectivity is in place to all major UK financial institutions, mobile network operators and Post Office Limited for processing shared real-time payments transactions.
About PULSE EFT Association LP
PULSE is one of the United States’ leading ATM/debit networks, currently serving more than 4,200 banks, credit unions and savings institutions across the country. PULSE is owned by Discover Financial Services LLC, a business unit of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS). The network links cardholders with nearly 250,000 cash machines and approximately 3.4 million POS terminals at retail locations nationwide. The company is also a valued resource for consumer research related to electronic payments and is committed to providing its participants with education on evolving products, services and trends in the payments industry. For more information, visit www.pulse-eft.com.
