The banks are planning to launch a unified PIN management service (PMS), allowing consumers to change their PINs easily once they start to receive EMV-compliant smart credit and debit cards.
At present, not all banks provide PIN-changing facilities, but this will be essential if shoppers are to use a range of cards when chip and PIN at point-of-sale becomes commonplace. The basic technology will be in place in time for the Northampton trial due to start in March.
'This will be a priority in the consumer campaign,' said Chris Osborne of IBM Business Consulting (formerly PwC Consulting), communications manager for the chip and PIN programme management office. 'Our studies show 93 per cent of people with a credit card do not know it also has a PIN, so the Northampton ad campaign will have to focus on this.'
PIN-enabled chip cards will be issued in January and banks will reissue PIN notification slips at the same time, with accompanying publicity material promoting the PMS.
Visa is already involved in upgrading ATMs to ensure Visa cardholders can change their numbers at any location.
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