Five networks of automated teller machines will be linked by next summer, giving 26 million card holders access to 13,000 machines in 16 states, officials said.
The joint network will include the Money Access Center, or MAC, machines that serve 18.6 million card holders in seven states, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region.The Federal Reserve Board on Nov. 30 approved the formation of Electronic Payments Services Inc., which will operate the joint ATM network and an electronic point-of-sale transaction processing service. The merger was completed Friday.
"For customers, there will be tremendously expanded geographic access," said David Lipkin, chief counsel for EPS.
MAC's 8,000 machines will join some 5,000 other ATMs operated through the Jubilee, Tri-State, Owl and Green Machine networks. The joint network will serve 16 states, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions.
"People in Pennsylvania traveling to Ohio or Indiana will have access to the other networks," Lipkin said. "Customers of those networks coming to the East will be able to use machines in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, for example."
Linking the five networks is expected to be completed by July, Lipkin said.