Bull Smart Cards, leader in the development of secure, compact and portable software for smart cards, has just signed a technological, marketing and shareholding agreement with Cardsoft Inc, a leading provider of open platform software on small electronic devices.
According to the agreement, Bull and Cardsoft will combine their leadership to develop and market portable, compact and secure software for small devices to the worldwide marketplace. Devices using this software include mobile phones, payment terminals, parking meters, vending machines, and PDAs. Bull with its presence in more than 100 countries, and Cardsoft, with its advanced technology capability have agreed to actively cooperate to market open platform solutions worldwide.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to leverage the reach and functionality of the small devices market, with solutions developed with the combined resources of Cardsoft and Bull." said Ian Ogilvy, CEO Cardsoft. " It is a partnership that promotes market expansion through an emphasis on interoperability; disencumbering the market from a legacy of proprietary restrictions and costly software solutions."
"Becoming a strategic shareholder in Cardsoft is another proof of Bull`s commitment to open platforms, in particular Java technology. We are convinced that the portability of standard-based software will greatly benefit customers and users of small devices. This partnership gives birth to the first worldwide provider of such software," said David Levy CEO Bull Smart Cards. With this agreement, Bull Smart Cards confirms its strategy focused on secure software for smart cards and other portable devices.
According to this agreement, Bull contributes its know-how in Java(tm) software development for small devices, developed in its Silicon Valley laboratory, to enable Cardsoft to deliver an enhanced version of its leading interoperable "eApplianceTM" software platform to the marketplace. Both companies, under the umbrella of Cardsoft, have brought together experts in software development who will collaborate in the development of leading-edge Java-based technology and products. This open platform will greatly open up opportunities for both companies, particularly in the burgeoning wireless device area. The demand for wireless transaction capability is set to explode as consumers and content providers increasingly demand access and transaction capability while on the move.
Cardsoft and Bull are both members of the Small Terminal Interoperability Platform consortium (STIP), an industry group focused on providing interoperability and secure transaction capability for small embedded devices. (http://www.stip.org).
Cardsoft: http://www.cardsoft.com
Cardsoft is a global leader in the development of open, interoperable software enabling secure transactions on small computing devices. With its eAppliance TM technology, Cardsoft has succeeded in establishing a common programming environment for a wide range of small electronic devices reflecting the "write once, use anywhere"TM philosophy of JavaTM. Such devices include payment terminals, card accepting devices, digital mobile phones, PDAs, ticketing and vending machines, pay phones and parking meters.
Cardsoft is an international company with corporate headquarters in the USA and offices in Australia, Asia and Canada.
Bull Smart Cards: http://www.cp8.bull.net
Since 1998, under the direction of CEO David Levy, Bull Smart Cards has been focusing its strategy on the development and marketing of software for microprocessor cards, more popularly known as smart cards*, integrating a high level of security.
The history of Bull Smart Cards goes back to 1977, the year in which the company filed its first patent. Since then, Bull has been the undisputed leader in smart card technology. Today, 20% of all microprocessor cards in circulation worldwide operate with software developed by Bull. Bull is the world leader in the field of software for bank cards, and has a 30% share of the world electronic purse market. In 1999, the company ventured into the GSM market and is now at the leading edge in the development of UMTS, the third generation of SIM cards. It is also promoting the world`s first "Internet" smart card.
With its ongoing technological development, supported by an aggressive marketing and sales policy, Bull Smart Cards wishes to maintain a 30% share of the world market in software for microprocessor cards.
There are in fact two types of smart card: microprocessor cards, which have nothing less than an embedded microcomputer; and memory cards (e.g. the telephone card) which are used simply to store data. The microprocessor card was invented in 1977 by Michel Ugon, a researcher at Bull, who produced the first working model two years later.
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