The Prepaid Press - June 15, 2008 - (Page 25)

PAYMENTS June 15 · 2008 - 25 Altair and Blueberry Launch a Prepaid Card for Moms FrontStream Acquires Direct Technology Innovations Announce BaBee Prepaid MasterCard Card LONDON, UK (May 16, 2008) Altair Financial Services International Plc (Altair), a prepaid card and global transaction processing solutions provider, and Blueberry Card Services Ltd, provider of consumer prepaid services, have launched the BaBee Prepaid MasterCard card. The BaBeeCard will be the first UK pay-as-you-go MasterCard card created specifically to help new mothers manage their finances and save money on their day-to-day expenses. Gemma Johnson, Blueberry CEO commented, “A BaBeeCard costs just £14.95 a year yet gives mums access to hundreds of discounts, from baby-related items to everyday essentials like groceries and petrol plus big ticket items like holidays. Just using the grocery and petrol vouchers alone could cover the cost of the card within a month.” Lee Britton, CEO of Altair said, “This is a great example of a prepaid card program designed to meet the needs of a specific audience. We expect a great deal of interest surrounding the BaBeeCard program and believe it will be very successful. The BaBeeCard enables the cardholder to better budget their finances, saves the cardholder money on a range of relevant discounts and can furthermore earn money by referring their friends.” “The BaBeeCard program uses Altair Mobile Payment System (AMPS), so the prepaid cards can be conveniently managed by sending text messages from a registered mobile phone. Cardholders can obtain their balance, top up their card or lock/unlock their card for added security, from anywhere, 24 hours a day. In addition, the card enables friends and family to add funds to the card from any location in the UK, via online bank transfer or SMS if using a BaBee Top-Up Card.” The UK annual birth-rate is approximately 750k, which presents a huge potential market Solutions Provider Grows Footprint BRENTWOOD, TN (May 20, 2008) FrontStream Paymenta has announced the acquisition of Direct Technology Innovations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “In April, we announced our first round of funding and said we would use the money to rapidly become a market leader through strategic acquisitions,” said Emmet Seibels, CEO and Co-founder, of FrontStream Payments. “Direct Technology Innovations is a perfect fit for us in that they immediately strengthen our market footprint in the core areas of ‘quick service’ restaurants and ground transportation.” DTI, based in Ft. Lauderdale, was founded in 2001 and provides technology solutions and services to small and medium sized businesses in the Agent/ISO sales channel. Among their offerings are Swipe N’ Go, Click to Go online ordering and the Mobile Ticketing Solution. “We have been very selective in choosing an acquiring partner,” said Edward Slominski, CEO of Direct Technology Innovations. “We felt our technologies and market relationships would dovetail neatly into FrontStream Payments solutions and overall industry vision. From our first conversation, there was an immediate comfort zone that existed in our relationship.” Marc Scheipe, President and Co-founder of FrontStream Payments, said that the DTI business unit and its employees would continue to be based in Ft. Lauderdale and that Slominski will become part of FrontStream Payment’s management team. Noblett & Associates acted as the financial advisor to Direct Technology Innovations. Source: FrontStream Payments (www.frontstreampayments.com) for the BaBeeCard. With the current financial climate, a growing number of mums may find it difficult to obtain credit. Unlike a credit card, BaBeeCard applicants will not require credit checks and the cardholder can only spend what has been loaded onto the card. It has the convenience of being accepted everywhere displaying the MasterCard acceptance mark, currently 25.9 million locations worldwide. Chris Reddish, Global Product Head of Prepaid Europe, MasterCard, said: “The BaBeeCard MasterCard is another great example of how prepaid programs can be tailored to offer different benefits for different groups of consumers. The facility to manage spend by ring-fencing budget, combined with the security and convenience of prepaid cards, offer mums valuable peace of mind.” Source: Altair (www.altair-financial.com) New Etelcharge Version Goes Live Combines Gift Card Sales, Social Network DESOTO, TX (May 13, 2008) Etelcharge.com (OTCBB: ETLC) has introduced its Version 3.0 purchasing system with social networking. The new version gives members access to the Personal Gift Card Store. This online purchasing system allows members to select from online merchants or send money to friends and family. Etelcharge CEO Rob Howe stated, “Our first digital gift card provider, CinemaNow, is ready to accept our orders, and we’re ready to send them. This is an important day for our company.” Members can make payments online using the Etelcharge payment method, or the new Etelcharge secured credit card payment, without revealing their credit card or personal information to the merchant. Etelcharge members have a contact management system allowing them to send e-mail messages and personal invitations to join their “community.“ “This level of functionality and security is unprecedented in our market space,” Howe continued, “as our members will be able to invite their friends, colleagues and family members to join their networks and avail themselves of Etelcharge’s unique capabilities.” Source: Etelcharge (www.etelcharge.com) CAESARS PALACE, LAS VEGAS · AUGUST 19 – 21, 2008 THE PREPAID PRESS EXPO 2008 CAESARS PALACE, LAS VEGAS · AUGUST 19 – 21, 2008 THE PREPAID PRESS EXPO 2008 Toga, Toga, Toga! If you are attending The Prepaid Press Expo, August 19-21, at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, here’s an event you won’t want to miss! EAT, DRINK, NETWORK WITH THE BEST OF PREPAID The Prepaid Press Expo is the only event that bridges all sectors of the prepaid services industry, and all players within each sector. It is the primary point of convergence for prepaid services in 2008, and an event you won’t want to miss! EXHIBIT Reserve Your Booth or Sponsorship at tppEXPO’08 • Meet with customers across all prepaid distribution channels • Conduct face-to-face business with new prospects • Discounted rate applies for early sign ups • Free admission to high level conference sessions • Virtual Booth on prepaidpressexpo.com through October ‘08 • Network with hard-to-reach distributors and retailers • Media and PR campaign across all industry sectors • Marketing exposure via The Prepaid Press RESERVE YOUR BOOTH TODAY! Booth Prices, per 10’ X 10’ $4,100 through July 1 $4,300 thereafter Exhibit space and sponsorships are limited, so reserve your spot now. Contact expo@prepaidpressexpo.com or 866.203.2334 ext. 505. For international callers, dial us direct at 1.305.421.7209. Toga Party at the Garden of the Gods Pool (Caesars Palace) Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 8:00pm –10:00pm THE TOGA PARTY PASS GIVES YOU ACCESS TO: Exhibit hall, Floor demos and Wednesday night’s Toga Party. Only $99! Only Exhibitors, Speakers, Conference and Toga Party Pass holders have access to the event. Exhibit Hall Only badges cannot attend. Upgrade your badge today to join the hottest party in prepaid. SPONSORED BY “The information we posted to our Virtual Tradeshow Booth on the Prepaid Press Expo website signiﬁcantly added to our company exposure and click-throughs to our website.” -- Bruce Burke VP Marketing & Sales, PayZone REGISTER TODAY AT WWW.PREPAIDPRESSEXPO.COM http://www.frontstreampayments.com http://Etelcharge.com http://www.etelcharge.com http://www.altair-financial.com http://prepaidpressexpo.com http://WWW.PREPAIDPRESSEXPO.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Prepaid Press - June 15, 2008

The Prepaid Press - June 15, 2008 Contents The Retske Report: The More Things Change… Regulatory Rundown: June 2008 5 Minutes With Harvey Caron VP/Marketing Director, Pentagon Graphics TPPExpo’08 Spotlight Handset Trafficking Dealt Blow Prepaid Wireless Roundup Virgin Mobile to Use Platform-A Sprint Reports Lower Wireless Revenues Virgin Mobile Adds Samsung to Offerings States Considering Photo ID for Prepaid Wireless Prepaid Reviews Podcast Includes TPP Editor Prepaid Wireless in Brief Managing Equipment and Capacity Upgrades Atlantax Systems and TMI Form Alliance The Legal Line Spot Rates FTC Halts Bogus Prepaid Phone Card Claims Titan Global Re-Appoints Kurt Jensen as Pres/CEO Calling Cards in Brief TX AG Files Suit Against Calling Card Company Startec Moves to PhoenixSoft Cirrus Ringplus.net Offers Free Calls Interchange Fee War Begins edo Interactive Launches Networking Card MasterCard Uses CSC Platform nFinanSe Gets $15 Million Line of Credit Travelex Cash Passport Debuts at US Retail Stores CardEx Offers Cost-Free Gift Cards Payments in Brief Altair and Blueberry Launch a Prepaid Card for Moms FrontStream Acquires Direct Technology Innovations New Etelcharge Version Goes Live Prepaid 101: POSA Retail Focus in Brief NRF Says Retailers Fighting Organized Crime Blackhawk Announces Annual Hawk Awards NRF Says Retail Sales Showed Resiliency in April TravelCenters Adopts Coinstar Pay As You Go Marriott Offers a $25 Visa Gift Card NRF Favors Law Protecting Retailers from Lawsuits Starbucks Card Members Get Free AT&T Wireless Wi-Fi Our Advertisers Classifieds Contact Us

The Prepaid Press - June 15, 2008

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