First Data International, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment services, today announced it successfully integrated Austin Logistics' new predictive analytic EarlyDetection System(TM) into First Data International's VisionPLUS(R) card processing system in China.

VisionPLUS(R) is a world-class card processing system that First Data launched in China in 2002. Not only has it been used by the large card issuers for their credit card solution, but it is also the outsourcing platform in First Data International's data center in Shanghai. It provides card processing services to First Data International's outsourcing clients in China, and it is increasingly used to deliver processing services to all developing markets in Asia.

Austin Logistics Inc. is a leading provider of analytic software and solutions that predict customer behavior. The EarlyDetection System is an analytic software solution that improves early-month-on-books credit card portfolio management by accelerating new account assessments.

"With China's explosive growth in unsecured credit issuance, the need to manage credit risk and credit opportunity is escalating," said Tom Miller, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business Development, Austin Logistics. "Our EarlyDetection System is a proven solution that gives First Data International's customers in China the unique ability to manage risk and evaluate opportunity early on in the credit lifecycle -- from day one. The result is increased profitability due to the ability, from account origination on, to expand their relationships with essential customers, manage high-risk accounts and close fraudulent accounts."

"Having been in the market for the past seven years, we've found that managing risk has become a priority for most of the card issuers in Asia," said Nigel Lee, president, First Data International, Asia. "In June, we released the findings of a study we commissioned the Economist Intelligence Unit to conduct on the opportunities and challenges in China's emerging payments market. One of the key findings of the research was that most of the card issuers realize risk control bears great importance, and they are looking at ways to reduce risk exposure on lending. First Data International's collaboration with Austin Logistics on the EarlyDetection system is another example of us partnering with industry-leading companies to deliver innovative solutions to Asian regional cards markets. We are committed to driving innovation, providing the best-in-class technology and bringing value to our clients."

EarlyDetection gives First Data International's customers the unique and powerful capacity to reliably predict revenue, varying levels of account activation and fraud/delinquency risk.