TORONTO – Rogers Communications is conducting a market trial of the Mint PayPass MasterCard at its Toronto headquarters.
Throughout the trial, Rogers employees can use the Mint MasterCard for two new payment options: MasterCard PayPass is a feature which enables “contactless” payment processing and prepaid functionality which allows cardholders to preload value on their card. Over the course of the trial, employees at the Rogers Campus need only register for the Mint MasterCard, which can be used for contactless payments at MasterCard PayPass designated merchants at the Campus and traditional purchases wherever MasterCard is accepted worldwide.
"Rogers is committed to bringing innovative communications solutions to our customers using Rogers nationwide suite of wired and wireless networks," said Paul Nielsen, president, Rogers Business Solutions, in a release. "The Mint PayPass MasterCard trial has enabled us to offer our employees early access to an exciting new product, retailers with the opportunity to accelerate check-out speeds and overall, the chance to identify a new product that will provide Rogers customers with access to what matters most to them, more quickly and more efficiently than they could find anywhere else."
To pay, users simply tap or wave their Mint MasterCard card against a MasterCard PayPass reader – kind of like at the gas station with the Esso Speed Pass, for example – which is connected to an existing point-of-sale terminal that operates on the Rogers’ networks including the nationwide Rogers GSM/GPRS network, high-speed cable, or DSL networks. The card contains an embedded radio frequency (RF) chip that transmits data securely. MasterCard PayPass speeds up the payment process for both merchants and consumers. It is ideal for quick payment environments where speed of processing is essential.
MasterCard International first issued MasterCard PayPass enabled credit cards in the United States in 2003. Mint Inc., in partnership with Peoples Trust, is the first to deploy and support MasterCard PayPass enabled card products and prepaid payment cards in Canada.
Furthermore, prepaid cards open up new, potential market segments. Prepaid cardholders simply preload their Mint PayPass MasterCard account with monetary value, funds are debited from the account with each purchase made, and the account can be topped up at anytime. The prepaid card can be used for purchases at any of the millions of global locations where MasterCard is accepted, including the Internet.
Digital cable set top boxes have for years had inactive card slots, which could be put to use this way, where customers could pay for an event immediately with such technology, rather than having it added to their monthly bill. However, the press release pondered no such deployment.
"A prepaid MasterCard holds great appeal for a number of market segments and the immediate response from Rogers Campus’ employees demonstrates that we are, without a doubt, filling a gap," said Frank Maduri, president of Mint Inc., "It’s exciting to watch how quickly it’s catching on over there."
"MasterCard PayPass will be rolling out in the Canadian market in the months ahead, building on the success and progress of the product in the United States," said Nagesh Devata, vice-president, MasterCard Canada. "MasterCard PayPass will make a significant impact on how merchants can handle payment and how consumers can choose to pay for purchases. It combines fast secure payment with proven technologies that are market-ready today."
Sounds like a great option for the very busy mornings at Tim Horton’s – one major retailer which doesn’t accept debit cards because the transaction just takes too long.
www.rogers.com
www.mintinc.com
www.mastercardinternational.com
