Vantage would like to take this opportunity to remind merchants of pertinent upcoming PCI DSS mandates and impacts:

• Effective July 1, 2010, acquirers must ensure their merchants use only compliant applications.

This Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) compliance mandate is just around the corner and impacts the entire payment industry.  As a result, terminal equipment vendors are discontinuing production of hardware and replacement parts.  Payment applications previously supported are being fully retired. 

Some merchants using late model terminals will need to upgrade within the next 14 months.  We highly recommend that merchants avoid purchasing used or refurbished terminals.  Also, please be aware of a rise in proprietary terminals in the market.  Many merchants are unknownly purchasing terminals that can only be used on a single network.  Before you purchase a credit card terminal, please call us at 800-397-2380 with the make and model to insure a sound investment. 

Visa and MasterCard have also set a mandate effective July 1, 2010 to ensure that all installed Point of Sale terminal models have been approved and are using the most up to date encryption standards for processing PIN debit transactions. If you currently process PIN-based debit transactions, you may be operating a Point of Sale device that will need a software upgrade or device replacement in order to continue processing.

Vantage will work with you to upgrade your terminal or PIN pad with a new certified payment application.  If your terminal hardware is too old to update to a secure compliant payment application, Vantage offers a specially priced terminal upgrade package.  Please call us at 800-397-2380 or by email at [email protected].