Hatfield, Hertfordshire-based Associated Bankcard Services Ltd is offering an alternative to the banks’ electronic funds transfer at point of sale systems: it is catering for small to medium-sized retailers who want to support Switch or Delta electronic payment, with its Per-Transfer Only service; retailers get a Verifone terminal for no initial outlay, paying for the terminal, transaction polling and acquisition services in with the payment that they make for each transaction; retailers pay between fourpence and 80 pence per transaction depending on volume with no fixed monthly charge, and Associated says it will start recovering terminal costs from retailers averaging 75 transactions per month; polling and acquisition services are provided by independent companies including AT&T, Compupower and First Data Resources among others.