Hypercom Launch Advanced Data Communications Service for Transaction-Based Applications

The Hypercom network is already operational in Canada and, in its infancy, is already handling over 600 million transactions on an annual basis. That equals nearly 50% of all transaction traffic in that country, a percentage that is expected to jump significantly in the months ahead. This new Hypercom initiative is part of a long-term strategy to gain potential significant market share in the estimated 28 billion transaction dial POS market in North America, as well as the multi-billion transaction dial POS markets in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), Asia and Latin America. Leveraging Hypercoms global expertise in networking technology, HBNet will speed the authorization and processing of electronic transactions for the retail point-of-sale, financial, government, healthcare and other transaction-based markets - giving processors a competitive, reliable and secure alternative to existing suppliers. Capabilities and No Single-Point-of-Failure HBNet provides enhanced data communication services for transaction-based applications. Its advanced transaction network is powered by payment technology leader Hypercoms robust, ultra high-density MegaNAC®180 Network Access Controllers (NACs), which are strategically positioned within the Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN) and at processor data centers. The network supports all point-of-sale/point-of-transaction card payment terminal protocols and formats communicating at up to V.92 speeds, including Hypercom FastPOS, the 9600 bps fast train modem technology, which allows high-speed transaction processing, software downloads and batch uploads. Additionally, with the MegaNAC 180s unique parallel processing architecture, HBNet provides unparalleled resiliency, fail-over and transaction overflow capabilities. It delivers continuous, uninterrupted service, seamlessly load balances, and is constructed to have no single-point-of-failure. In the unlikely event that one component temporarily fails, a backup unit swings into action instantaneously and with no impact to customers. The network is designed to provide an unprecedented grade of service. The HBNet network also incorporates a Web-based facility for processors to quickly access a rich array of statistical information. Data can be displayed in a variety of ways or mined in detail for trend analysis. Trending and exception analysis lets the processor quickly detect unusual transaction activity and take appropriate, proactive action. HBNet is a natural extension of Hypercoms networking expertise. The payment leaders technology already supports US government agencies, and many of the worlds leading financial institutions. In addition to these and other existing large networks in the US, Latin America, Asia and Europe, Hypercom has created and installed customized networks for the Western Canada Lottery Corporation and Taiwan Lottery, and provides support to the Moscow Lottery and Fubon Bank, one of Asias leading financial conglomerates. Hypercoms networking products have also been selected to enable cross-city and cross-bank transactions in over 40 major cities in China and, by 2005, will allow 40 million + bank cardholders to use their cards at any payment terminal in China.