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November 2004 • Volume 9 Number 11 |
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Executive Director's Letter Dear members and friends of the Alliance, The past few weeks have been very enriching experiences for me. I have had the opportunity to travel outside the frequently defined boundaries of the smart card world and also outside the boundaries of the United States. It is always refreshing to listen to a different perspective and learn about other market adoption issues and cultural differences than what I surround myself with each day. One of my trips was an opportunity to speak at and attend the largest identity management conference in the U.S., Digital ID World 2004. I was taken aback by listening to large software vendors like Novell, Obix, IBM, and Oracle talk about identity management; there is a whole other world of issues and language spoken than what we hear around the smart card "water cooler." There the message was "network, integrate, control" information systems. The control part is where smart cards and other tokens enter the discussion, but it became clearer to me that until the first two happen, there can't be any widespread use of smart cards for enterprise users of such complex network systems. But with patience, our time will come very soon and the investment in advances in software from vendors like these and other stakeholders like Microsoft, Sun, ActivCard, VeriSign and RSA Security will infiltrate large enterprise IT departments and result in a pull through for smart card technology.
Member Profile 1. What is DMDC's mission and role in government identity credentialing? The Defense Manpower Data Center's (DMDC) mission is to serve as the central repository of current and historic Department of Defense (DoD) Human Resource information through the use of the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS). DMDC's role is to be the primary source for identification and authentication of people in DoD. Through rigorous business processes, DMDC maintains a high level of security for personnel, as well as physical and logical access. In addition, DMDC has operational responsibility for the implementation of the Common Access Card (CAC), which is the standard identification card for active duty military personnel, Selected Reserve, DoD civilian employees and eligible contractor personnel. The CAC is the principal card used to enable physical access to buildings and controlled spaces and for logical access to the Department's computer networks and systems. DMDC also evaluates emerging technology associated with smart cards and develops and manages resources to support current and future requirements and advancements in technology related to the CAC.
Implementing Contactless Payment: A Practical Guide for Merchants
For merchants, the launch of new contactless payment methods represents an opportunity to attract customers and increase revenues, especially in retail segments where speed and convenience are mandatory. The benefits of contactless payment for the consumer and the merchant have been proven in numerous implementations. Increased convenience for the consumer has resulted in increased sales and faster transaction times for the merchant. Merchants also enjoy lower costs due to fewer requirements to handle cash, improved operational efficiencies, and lower maintenance costs, resulting from improved reliability of contactless readers.
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An increasing number of U.S. consumers are paying for purchases with contactless payment devices. U.S. consumers are using MasterCard PayPass cards, American Express ExpressPay key fobs and other contactless devices to speed through payment transactions at gas stations, quick-service restaurants, theaters, and other merchants across the United States. Transit systems are also adopting contactless payment devices to improve consumer convenience, increase throughput, and reduce operating costs in major U.S. metropolitan areas. 
Executive
Director's Letter
