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Technology Stocks : NAP: National Processing, Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JakeStraw who wrote (8)	9/25/2001 8:53:39 AM
From: JakeStraw	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 72

National Processing Company Adds Direct Link to ATH Network biz.yahoo.com LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- National Processing Company (NPC®), a leading provider of merchant credit card processing and a wholly owned subsidiary of National Processing, Inc. (NYSE: NAP), announced the completion of a direct link to the ATH Network in Puerto Rico, owned and operated by GM Group, Inc. a subsidiary of Popular, Inc. This direct link adds another option for NPC merchants to accept the ATH on-line debit card and Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) transactions at the point-of-sale (POS) in the most cost-effective and reliable manner. NPC's full array of software management, authorization and settlement services allow merchants to take advantage of two of the fastest growing and most cost-effective payment types at the POS -- on-line debit and EBT. NPC's debit product features: single sponsorship into the respective networks, single-point-of-settlement for all transactions, least cost routing of each transaction, key encryption management, exception processing, and comprehensive reporting. NPC's EBT product features: diverse communications options, single-point-of-settlement for all transactions, comprehensive reporting, a variety of POS terminal options plus availability of all 41 EBT state programs. ``We have one of the best on-line debit and EBT products in the industry and will continue to build direct connections to the various networks,'' said Mark D. Pyke, executive vice president of Merchant Services for NPC. ``The direct connection to ATH provides our merchants with one of the most cost- effective ways to process these transactions. Consumers in Puerto Rico use their ATH on-line debit and EBT cards more often than any other form of payment.'' ``Partnering with NPC through this direct link allows our consumers increased access to major retailers in the acceptance of ATH debit and EBT cards,'' said Jorge Hernandez, senior vice president of the ATH Network for GM Group. ``NPC has demonstrated a full understanding of the technical and security requirements surrounding on-line debit and EBT card processing. Their leadership and reputation is second to none in the merchant processing industry.'' About GM Group, Inc. GM Group, Inc. is the most diversified and complete Information Technology (IT) services provider in the Caribbean Basin. Founded in 1970, GM Group is home to more than 700 IT professionals based at its headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and offices in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Miami, Florida. Its services portfolio includes Processing Services; Software Sales; Hardware Sales; Engineering and Systems Integration; Systems Consulting; Educational Services; Processing of Visa, MasterCard, ATH, and private label cards; complete Voice, Data, and Video Networking Solutions; and the only Business Recovery Services center south of the United States. GM Group also manages and processes ATH, the largest debit POS and ATM Network in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica that connects over 2,500 ATM's and 60,400 POS terminals. Since 1999, GM Group has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Popular, Inc. (Nasdaq: BPOP; BPOPP) ( www.popularinc.com ), the 29th largest bank holding company in the United States with assets totaling $32.94 billion.