Spire Payments’ latest range of POS solutions (the SP family) once again proves how quickly a solution can be developed to meet the technical and commercial requirements of a customer. This is ever more critical when moving from a significant legacy POS estate (PCI PED 1.3.), to the industry’s latest security standards and capabilities (PCI POI 3.x and contactless/NFC support) in an extremely short timeframe, as in this case.

To deliver the seemingly impossible, Spire Payments allocated a dedicated team of software developers to work with their local partners in Romania (AIM and Servus) together with BRD bank’s project and technical teams. The project requirements were significant as it included the full range of terminals used by the customer: countertop IP/DIAL/GPRS terminals with external contactless/NFC enabled PinPad, mobile GPRS terminals whose POS EMV software application needed to be compliant with the latest PayPass/PayWave requirements. All terminals had to also support BRD’s current Terminal and Network Management Systems, the latest POS software digital signing, terminal key loading solution, the porting of all existing BRD functionalities such as bill payment, top-up, loyalty and the implementation of ECR protocols for integrating with new and existing cash registers used by the Bank’s merchants.

Utilising Spire’s innovative application development environment (inSPiretm) the project delivered a fully approved solution in just under 10 weeks from inception. This fast development cycle was due, in part, to inSPire’stm use of the widely-acclaimed Linux operating system, but also its innovative secure framework and key management infrastructure. Roll-out will commence immediately with 4,000 terminals, of which 1,400 terminals will be deployed in a leading European supermarket retail chain in Romania.

The SP family is fully PCI PTS 3.x compliant and adheres to demanding SRED security requirements. These devices utilize a new and uncompromised common architecture rather than evolving from a pre-existing design. This approach will allow BRD to port the same approved application across a complete range of solutions if needed: Countertop SPc50 (IP and dial up) with or without the SPp10 PINpad, mobile SPw70 (GPRS), wireless SPw60 (WiFi) and the intelligent retail PinPad SPp30.

BRD (the second largest bank in Romania in terms of assets) has circa 7,500 employees, over 850 branches and over 24,000 POS terminals installed at merchants. With a very strong experience for delivering quality of service to its customers, from individuals to corporate, the implementation of the new generation of POS terminals will ensure it is both secure and able to take advantage of the latest technologies.

AIM Solution Serv and Servus Information & Communication Technologies, both partners of Spire Payments, are market pioneers in the delivery of integrated end-to-end solutions within the payments market. With 20 years’ experience, Servus is a leading supplier of payment technology (ATM, POS and mPOS), field support and help desk capabilities to multiple regions.

Kazem Aminaee, CEO and President of Spire Payments commented, “This project clearly demonstrates Spire Payments’ commitment to assisting customers migrate their POS estates with minimal disruption and investment. Our latest SP range provides a rapid upgrade proposition and payment solutions for all merchant sectors.”

Daniel Calin, BRD IT Director commented: “Beginning of 2014 meant a strategy change for BRD POS acquiring, aimed at POS service renewal to meet PCI PTS compliance. Within the very limited timeframe available for the project and with strong desire of not making any compromise in terms of outcome, the Spire implementation has proven to be a winning choice. It allowed fast deployment of a new line of POS, with full range of terminal types and connectivity, keeping all existing functionalities of BRD POS and, through the modern Spire technology, opening the path to a wide range of future extensions of the BRD POS acquiring.

Raluca Aelenei, General Manager – Servus comments: “The cooperation between AIM and Servus for BRD Spire project was a challenge that proves both companies capabilities and demonstrates that Spire range is the fastest upgrade solution for all customers that have Optimum POS network and not only. For this project, in close cooperation with BRD team and Spire team, we’ve achieved something that seems quite impossible: POS certification, delivery and pilot in accordance with the specific customer requirements and to the latest industry standards in less than 10 weeks”.