Verifone is now focusing big time on providing the back-end solutions for transaction requirements of utilities like telecom, power and transportation. Mr Chatterton said, ``We're moving from boxes to solutions.'' He said the company was working on solutions to allow consumers to pay their power and phone bills at convenience stores. ``Power companies spend a lot of money collecting payments. We are offering solutions that include (intelligent) metering devices linked to the utility's online billing system,'' he said. The end-to-end solution alerts the consumer when he is running low on his power account and allows him to go to the nearest point-of-sale (POS) and pay his bill using his card. Verifone is also testing solutions with smart cards that will identify the user to intelligent scanners on buses and trains to bill him automatically for his use of the transport service.

While security is an increasing concern for e-consumers across the globe, Verifone is gearing up with 3G SSL and SET solutions. However, security requirements vary depending on the market. In the US, for instance, where the consumer was protected from the liability of fraudulent transactions, convenience was more of an issue than security, Mr Chatterton said.