EFTPOS Central - Helping You Cut Through the Confusion
If you’ve been hearing mentions of EFTPOS upgrades, compliance mandates, and looming deadlines - there’s good reason for it. But you don’t need to panic, and you definitely shouldn’t be left in the dark wondering what it all means for your business.
At EFTPOS Central, we’re a New Zealand based, independent EFTPOS provider — not a big corporate or international payments giant. That means we make sense of all the technical jargon for you and help you make the best choice for your payment needs, with no surprises.
Let’s break down what’s happening, why it matters, and what you should be thinking about now.
Why EFTPOS Upgrades Are Happening
EFTPOS terminals don’t stay the same forever: and that’s intentional.
Payment systems are governed by global security standards set by the Payment Card Industry (PCI). Terminals are certified against versions of these standards (like “PCI 4.x”), and over time those standards become outdated because:
- Older security standards become less effective against modern fraud
- New requirements are introduced to protect cardholder data
- Networks evolve and stop supporting older technology
In New Zealand, the industry body Payments NZ manages the lifecycle of EFTPOS devices. They set “sunset dates” - deadlines after which older devices are disconnected from the network and will no longer work - so the entire EFTPOS ecosystem remains safe and trusted for everyone.
For the PCI 4.x standard, the sunset date is 30 April 2026 - and that date will not be extended (again). After this date, terminals certified to PCI 4.x will be shut off from processing payments.
This deadline has been signalled well in advance, and many merchants and providers have been planning for it - but plenty of businesses are still on older machines and unaware of how serious this is.
What Happens if You Don’t Upgrade
The short version:
If your terminal is a PCI 4.x certified EFTPOS Terminal, it must be replaced before 30 April 2026 as it could be disconnected and stop working without warning.
That would mean:
- You can’t process EFTPOS payments
- You may need to quickly secure a replacement
- You risk lost revenue and unhappy customers
And that’s exactly why acting early matters more than ever.
And There’s Another Change You Should Be Aware Of - 3G Network Sunset
Alongside these security deadlines, mobile networks in New Zealand are phasing out 3G services as part of a nationwide technology upgrade.
That means:
- Terminal models that only use 3G connectivity will stop working
- You’ll need a newer 4G/5G capable terminal before that happens
Major carriers like One NZ, Spark, and 2degrees are already in the process of retiring 3G - some timelines end as soon as late 2025 or early 2026.
This change isn’t about security - it’s about connectivity. But the result is the same: outdated hardware = downtime = lost sales.
Why You Should Act Now
If your current EFTPOS provider hasn’t:
✔ contacted you about the 2026 compliance deadline
✔ scheduled you for an upgrade
✔ offered clear options and timelines
…it’s time to take initiative.
Too many businesses wait until the “last minute”, assuming there’ll be plenty of time - but with tens of thousands of terminals still to be upgraded across New Zealand, delays are real and could leave you scrambling.
How EFTPOS Central Can Help
At EFTPOS Central, we aren’t a faceless multinational - we’re local, agile, and focused on making payments work for Kiwi businesses.
Here’s how we help:
✔ We explain compliance in plain English
✔ We help you choose the right solution - not just any one
✔ We’ve helped hundreds of merchants upgrade safely and early
✔ We make sure you’re confident - not confused
Whether you’re already scheduled for an upgrade but unsure about the options, or you’ve heard nothing from your provider yet - we can talk you through what makes sense for your business. And unlike others; if we don’t have a solution that works for you – we’ll point you in the right direction.
Take Control of Your EFTPOS Future
Now isn’t the time to hope everything “just works.”
Now is the time to know what you have, what you need, and how to get it done right.
If you haven’t got a plan, or if you’d like honest, local advice - reach out to EFTPOS Central today and we’ll help you cut through all the mumbo jumbo Contact Us
Your payments shouldn’t be complicated - and with the right provider, they won’t be.
