Li JingFRENCH company Oberthur Card Systems (OCS) has for the first time provided China Unicom with 1 million prepaid mobile phone paper scratch cards, 200,000 of which will go to the Shenzhen branch.The scratch card features enhanced scratch card security and added value to the prepaid services of mobile phone operators. Weighing about 250 grams, which is much lighter than counterparts used in China, the card is on the leading edge in both saving cost and protecting the environment. Most scratch cards issued today include very obvious “scratch panels,” which can limit the extent of the graphical design of the card. As pioneers in the production of paper scratch cards, Oberthur is the first to develop unique security printing technology that can match the scratch panel and card background by color and pattern. Since the scratch panel is seemingly invisible there are no limitations on card design. This solution offers card issuers marketing opportunities not previously possible. In addition, OCS incorporates a unique extra scratch panel (optional) for prizes such as additional credit for mobile phone services. This “scratch & win” panel enables operators to add value to their pre-paid services. Until recently, most recharge vouchers for GSM have been produced on plastic; however, market trends are reflecting a demand for more cost-effective and versatile solutions given the disposable nature of traditional scratch cards. With regard to card security, many of the features developed initially for the lottery and gaming markets have been integrated on to the prepaid scratch cards to ensure that security is maximized. OCS enjoys an established position as No.1 worldwide in secure lottery printing on both paper and cardboard, with a portfolio that ranges from magnetic stripe cards to the most advanced smart-card-based solutions for banking, telecommunications, transit and commerce. It is the world’s No. 1 supplier of VISA, MasterCard cards and Pay-TV smart cards.