Allpoint Continued to Make Name for Itself in 2005

BETHESDA, Md. – Allpoint, the nationwide non-reciprocal surcharge-free ATM network, continued to grow in 2005 as both credit union and banks executives began to better understand how the network’s nonreciprocal pricing strategy and large footprint can help them serve their members and customers. The network, which provides nationwide surcharge-free access to card holders in exchange for a flat fee paid by the financial institutions, began 2005 with roughly 100 credit union members and ended it with roughly 275, according to network President Ben Psillas. Psillas also reported that more credit unions than banks have begun to use the network, in part because credit unions’ cooperative nature made marketing easier for the new network. It has also been helped by deals with several credit union leagues around the country which allowed their members to receive better pricing on Allpoint services than they would have received otherwise. For its part, CO-OP Network, the credit union-owned, surcharge-free reciprocal ATM network still declined to complain about or even admit that Allpoint is a competitor. Instead it restricted its comments to the observation that it offers CUs access to a deposit-taking ATM network that Allpoint does not and that the reciprocal nature of its fee-free network is more in line with credit unions’ cooperative philosophy. Further, Allpoint’s steady growth continued to illustrate how the ATM marketplace has changed. Whereas credit unions previously may have really only needed one to two ATM networks, CUs now have begun to join multiple networks and to tailor their ATM strategies more closely to the precise needs of their membership. This trend will likely continue and expand in 2006, ATM market observers have said. [email protected]