LG Electronics has developed an NFC-enabled phone using a system-on-chip from STMicroelectronics. The KU380-NFC phone with ST’s ST21NFCA chip features MasterCard’s PayPass contactless payment capabilities enabled by a (U)SIM card, as well as contactless reader functions. 

NXP, a semiconductor company initially founded by Philips, and microcontroller manufacturer Renesas Technology Corp. announced they have expanded the licensing agreement on NXP’s MIFARE technology, aiming to build momentum for the availability of advanced payment and Near Field Communication offerings in contactless infrastructures. As a historical MIFARE licensee, Renesas now has further access to NXP’s entire MIFARE family. 

Oberthur Technologies was the only two-category winner in this year’s Sesames Awards, repeating its successes from 2007 when it also gathered in two honors. The awards, which represent innovations in the smart card and ID industry, were presented during the opening of the CARTES and IDentification show in Paris.

There were 35 finalists in the ten categories, out of 233 entrants, the most ever for a Sesames contest. Sophie Lubet, CARTES show manager, opened the awards ceremony before 400 guests. 

The Smart Card Alliance announced the creation of its Leadership, Education and Advancement Program (LEAP) for individuals interested in continuously improving their knowledge and professional proficiency in the industry.

LEAP membership is open to all professionals working in the smart card industry in the U.S. and worldwide, regardless of whether their organization is a current member of the Smart Card Alliance. 

Codebench, Inc. announced that Software House has signed a distribution agreement to sell its PIVCheck Product Suite, a cardholder validation solution for HSPD-12 compliance with automated registration and certificate management.

PIVCheck Plus has been integrated with Software House C·CURE 800/8000 and C·CURE 9000, providing three-factor authentication and performing biometric matching. Managing the acquisition of cardholder data from a PIV, TWIC, CAC, or FRAC card, PIVCheck Plus performs automated registration into the C·CURE system, and does not require a third-party identity or credential management system. 

Contactless smart card provider LEGIC Identsystems, Switzerland, has partnered with the French company Cash Systèmes Industrie, a specialist in the design and manufacturing of POS terminals, that will allow the company to integrate LEGIC technology into its payment terminals. LEGIC multi-applications will thus be more accessible to end users in France where secure personal identification solutions are increasingly being required, such as in hotels and retail establishments. 

Digital security provider Gemalto says it has equipped more than 300 shopping malls worldwide with its Dexxis Instant Issuance solution, enabling on-the-spot delivery of some one million credit cards per year. Some banks using the system personalize and issue up to 200 cards per week, per branch. It also translates into higher sales volumes for merchants, as shoppers can start using their credit cards immediately.