June 2004
MasterCard Chooses BitDefender
MasterCard to extend small business offering with BitDefender
MasterCard Europe has strengthened its Working in Europe(tm) small business card programme with the addition of a new offering to cardholders with the anti-virus software, BitDefender Professional(tm). The software is offered as a free one year license to MasterCard small business card holders through MasterCard members.
The offer has gone 'live' first in Belgium through KBC who are currently rolling-out the software as part of their small business programme. Plans are already underway to extend the offering to MasterCard business card holders across Europe, most notably in Spain, Italy, Poland and Hungary.
Following research into the needs and aspirations of small business decision makers and current BusinessCard payment programmes, MasterCard Europe launched its 'Working in Europe' Programme in 2003.
"We recognise that small businesses valued benefits from their service suppliers that not only had a real impact on their day-to-day business but also added immediate value," said Tuuli Perkio, head of small business products, Corporate Payment Solutions, MasterCard Europe.
"With MasterCard the aim is to bring so much more than a gateway to managing business purchases and we have tried to bring together a portfolio of tangible offerings and benefits that our members can, in return, offer their small business clients."
Maciej Dziobek, BitDefender Channel Sales Manager, SOFTWIN added, "With BitDefender Professional we can help with the need for reliable and secure anti-virus software, with a year's free license that business executives can download through a secure web interface."
BitDefender Professional is offered through SOFTWIN srl of Romania. Currently priced at EUR 39.95 across all European markets, BitDefender Professional offers one of the most respected anti-virus and firewall software packages available in the world. It has already received a number of industry accolades in Europe, including the 2003 best solution for home PC protection by 'Personal Computer' magazine in the Netherlands, Germany's 'C't magazine fur computer technik' magazine's most efficient virus scanner solution (2003).
About Bitdefender®
Bitdefender is the creator of one of the world's fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified internet security software.Since 2001, the company has been an industry pioneer, introducing and developing award-winning protection. Today, Bitdefender technology secures the digital experience of around 400 million home and corporate users across the globe.
Recently, the company has won a range of key independent recommendations in the US, UK and across Europe, including ConsumerSearch, Which?, Stiftung Warentest and Taenk. Bitdefender antivirus technology has also finished top in leading industry tests from both AV Test and AV-Comparatives. More information about Bitdefender's antivirus products is available from the company's security solutions press room. Additionally, Bitdefender publishes Malware City providing the latest updates on security threats and helping users stay informed in the everyday battle against malware.