National Bank unveils its new Internet wireless access

The National Bank today unveiled its new Internet Wireless Financial Services. This service, which will initially be offered to clients with a .com-ready cell phone from Bell Mobility, will give users access to most of the services currently available on the National Bank's website (www.nbc.ca). The wireless banking functions will complement those rolled out last year by National Bank Discount Brokerage in conjunction with Bell Mobility's wireless Internet service through its Mobile Browser.

Thanks to the new interface, clients will be able to carry out a number of transactions wherever they are, whenever they want, with only their cell phone.

They will be able to obtain their bank account balance, check the balance on their credit card or line of credit, make bill payments to more than 500 public and private service providers (e.g., major retailers, municipalities, etc.), make transfers on-line or off-line, obtain a list of recent transactions and carry out many other transactions instantaneously. Moreover, these transactions are completely safeguarded by 128-bit encryption which protects confidentiality and the integrity of wireless transactions.

Special consideration was given to the ergonomics of the functions offered to ensure ease of use. For instance, the way the user scrolls on the cell phone screen was designed differently from that of a computer screen so as to match the particular needs of cell phone users and to make it as simple to use as a banking machine.

Armelle Fortin, Senior Manager of the National Bank's Virtual Bank, is proud of this new offering, the latest in a long line of initiatives aimed at making the Bank completely user-friendly and accessible to its clients.

"Now, with this new cell phone access," said Ms. Fortin, "it's like having your bank branch at your fingertips 24 hours a day, every day of the year, wherever you are."

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