E-COMMERCE, NETWORK & SECURITY SOLUTIONS

Our Technologies & Services

From our secure payment gateway to our affordable e-commerce solutions, MerchantSphere's technology platforms are based on scalable, secure data applications and premier network architecture. Our partner's proprietary technologies are designed to meet the objectives of just about any payment processing need. When we looked for strategic partners, we sought only those vendors whose objectives matched MerchantSphere's technological philosophy:

• Centralize Service & Support - By centralizing the service and support of the technology, MerchantSphere customer's can take advantage of optimized cost structures, high availability of resources, redundant systems and highly monitored security systems previously only available to or in the largest of companies.
  
  
• Optimize & Leverage Hardware - Hardware-software optimization to achieve the highest performance with the greatest scalability gives businesses the direct, low cost and performance advantages needed for cost efficient credit card and ACH processing.
  
  
• Deliver Applications-Services On Demand - Our on-demand solution model allows businesses to determine what applications-services they need, when they need them and when it is appropriate for them financially. As a result, our customers have better operational control and experience significantly lower costs.
  
  
• Secure Applications - Our solutions integrate all enterprise applications including credit/debit transaction processing, private intranet, Voice over IP, public Wi-Fi hotspots, IP video, and many other applications with a single managed security and network solutions that meet the strict regulatory requirements of Sarbanes Oxley, PCI/DSS, and HIPAA.

Our Payment Gateway

A payment gateway is the secure internet channel between your business and the credit card and electronic check payment processing networks. MerchantSphere utilizes the FastTransact - ArgoFire Payment Gateway for internet credit card processing. The Fast transact - ArgoFire Payment Gateway is a dedicated, high-speed connection that connects merchants directly to their credit, debit, loyalty, branded card, and check processors via a carrier class, fully redundant IP network. Our network has been audited for full compliance with the PCI data security standard - protecting cardholder information. In addition, our merchants can quickly and conveniently deploy solutions within their existing supported POS environment and merchant banking or transaction processing relationships. Our flexible technology allows us to integrate with payment gateway merchant service providers, such as Authorize.Net or PlugNPay, etc. for a seamless and customized conversion.

Private Label Your Gateway

MerchantSphere offers our multi-unit merchants, franchisers and association customers a unique revenue enhancing opportunity through its co-branded payment gateway program. By creating your own branded gateway your organization will have its own secure internet channel to facilitate card acceptance. This custom tailored payment solution allows you to market to your existing client relationships, inspiring buyer confidence and increasing buyer response to your sales programs. Licensing fees for services of this type can be as high as $25,000 per year, however, as a MerchantSphere customer this service available as a way to increase affiliate processing relationships. For more information on how this partnership can be lucrative part of your business please visit our Associations Section.

Internet Solutions

C I Host has established a leadership position in the web hosting industry by meeting the every need of small-to-large sized business with best-of-breed web hosting solutions and by providing comprehensive, instantly scalable web-based technologies to a broad spectrum of customers. In an industry cluttered with competing technologies and varying levels of service, CI Host's leadership position is upheld through our customer-centric business model, which allows their customers to be in complete control of their online presence. CI Host's unique benefits stem from the following critical factors, un-matched by anyone in their industry. Ecommerce storefront solutions for online shopping carts, merchant accounts, and payment gateway integration of your favorite shopping cart software. CI Host services include:

• Managed Web Hosting
• Web site design and development
• E-commerce solutions
• Shopping carts & Online Payment Systems

Security

The essential application for MerchantSphere's security sphere is Cybera's "Smart Network". Cybera is a leading provider of MPLS-based secure networking solutions for large multi-site enterprise customers. Through its unique SmartNetwork architecture, Cybera adds advanced routing, firewall, and security services to extend the flexibility of MPLS to support a wide range of business applications, including VoIP, video, and Wi-Fi hotspots. MerchantSphere understands that security is one of the most important aspects of a company's longevity. With a robust network and security platform, you can rest assured that you will be protected, with a 24/7/365 managed network support and back-up solutions that offer piece of mind of in the event of site outages. Revenue generating transactions are a priority and should be treated as such and for that we offer Traffic Prioritization, an essential service when multiple applications are on the same network.

PCI Compliance

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of requirements designed by the major payment card brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB to ensure that ALL companies that process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) was launched in 2006 to manage the ongoing evolution of the Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards with focus on improving payment account security throughout the transaction process. PCI applies to ALL organizations or merchants, regardless of size or number of transactions, that accepts, transmits or stores any cardholder data. Said another way, if any customer of that organization ever pays the merchant directly using a credit card or debit card, then the PCI DSS requirements apply.