FleetBoston Offers Wireless Banking
FleetBoston Financial began offering wireless banking and bill payment services yesterday to its 1.4 million online customers.Fleet's HomeLink online banking customers can access the new free service via Palm and Palm-compatible hand-held devices with Palm.Net or OmniSky wireless service.
The wireless service lets customers view account history on Fleet checking, savings, Cash Reserve, Money Market, credit card, CD, IRA, home equity and mortgage accounts. Customers can make immediate, post-dated or ongoing fixed-amount transfers within any of these accounts through the wireless service.
The bill-paying service is available via wireless devices for a monthly fee of $4.50, which can be set up for a one-time payment or can be paid on a weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly or annual basis.
HomeLink and its wireless version also serve as a distribution channel for investment vehicles provided by Quick & Reilly, Fleet's subsidiary investment company. Customers can transfer funds between checking, savings and brokerage accounts through the service. The service also provides customers with wireless trading and investment research capabilities.
Fleet provides online and offline full-service banking services to roughly 20 million customers globally.
