Pin-Based Purchases Grow, but EFT Networks Lower POS Volumes

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Pin-Based Purchases Grow, but EFT Networks Lower POS Volumes
 ATM&Debit News Offers Insight into Debit Card and Network Trends in Its 2005
                                EFT Data Book

    CHICAGO, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- PIN-based purchases grew again in 2004,
with the 12 Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) networks that support point-of-
sale debit programs switching 522.8 million purchases in March, 25.3% more
than in March 2003, according to the 2005 edition of the ATM&Debit News EFT
Data Book released today. However, the number of debit card purchases was
smaller than anticipated, as some of the largest EFT networks restated their
March 2003 volumes. In addition, ATM transaction growth was weak in March.
    The restatements, which lowered March 2003 figures by approximately 78
million purchases, were brought about primarily by a change in the Star
network's data reporting. Prior to First Data Corp.'s acquisition of Star, the
nation's largest EFT network, Star reported both the preauthorization and the
final purchase as two transactions. In fact, out of the top four networks,
Star, Interlink, Pulse and NYCE, which together switch nearly 90% of all PIN-
based purchases, only NYCE counted a preauthorization and the final settlement
as a single transaction. As a result of the restatements, Star's March 2003
volume dropped by 67.4 million purchases, to 210.5 million. Interlink's March
2003 total fell by 7.02 million transactions, to 69.6 million. Pulse's total
dropped by 3.3 million, to 44.2 million purchases.
    "ATM&Debit News strives to provide the most detailed and accurate picture
of the ATM and debit card markets," said Jeffrey Green, editor of ATM&Debit
News. "And nothing illustrates this more than our continued efforts to improve
and expand the amount of information contained in the EFT Data Book."

    According to the 2005 EFT Data Book:

     *  The number of ATMs deployed in the U.S. jumped 3.2% to 383,000 in 2004
        from 371,000 in 2003.

     *  The overall ATM volume grew by 1.9% in 2004, slightly less than in
        2003.

     *  The number of monthly transactions per ATM held steady, ebbing
        minimally from 2,432 in March 2003 to 2,400 in March 2004.

     *  Leading U.S. ATM owners include Bank of America, Cardtronics and U.S.
        Bancorp.

     *  Among the companies that experienced the largest growth in ATM volumes
        are KeyBank, Washington Mutual, SunTrust and Fleet Boston.

    In addition to overall trend data, the 2005 EFT Data Book contains
detailed listings of the nation's EFT networks, POS debit networks and
national networks as well as rankings of the top 50 U.S. ATM owners, the top
50 issuers of PIN-based debit cards, the top 50 issuers of signature-based
debit cards, and the top 12 PIN-based debit acquirers/processors. Many of the
listings and rankings are complemented with year-to-year analysis. The EFT
Data Book also contains a comparison of in-network transactions and gateway
volumes among the EFT and POS networks and the ATM owners listings list
customer, or on-us, transaction activity as well as total transactions
initiated at each deployers' machines.
    The 2005 EFT Data Book is available to ATM&Debit News subscribers at no
additional charge. To purchase it separately, please visit
http://www.cardforum.com/staticpage.html?pagename=eftinfo .

    About ATM&Debit News & Thomson Media
    ATM&Debit News, http://www.cardforum.com , is a weekly electronic
newsletter delivered via email, and the leading source for news, analysis and
data for ATM and debit card professionals. Aimed at principal decision makers,
ATM&Debit News provides targeted information on the prime EFT, ATM and POS
opportunities, competitive market activities, key legislation and regulations.
ATM&Debit News is published by Thomson Media (http://www.thomsonmedia.com ), a
division of The Thomson Corporation and a leading provider of information,
data, and software tools for professionals in the financial services and
related technologies markets.

    About The Thomson Corporation
    The Thomson Corporation (http://www.thomson.com ), with 2003 revenues from
continuing operations of $7.6 billion, is a global leader in providing
integrated information solutions to business and professional customers.
Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to
more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial
services, higher education, reference information, corporate training and
assessment, scientific research and healthcare. With operational headquarters
in Stamford, Conn., Thomson has approximately 43,000 employees and provides
services in approximately 130 countries. The corporation's common shares are
listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC).
SOURCE ATM&Debit News
http://www.thomsonmedia.com
http://www.cardforum.com
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http://www.cardforum.com/staticpage.html?pagename=eftinfo
CONTACT:
Jeffrey Green, +1-312-983-6129,
jeffrey.green@thomsomedia.com, for ATM&Debit News, or Corporate
Contact - Heather M. O'Leary, +1-212-803 8527,
heather.o'leary@thomsonmedia.com, both of Thomson Media for
ATM&Debit News