INTERNATIONAL BYTES

Gemplus International, a France-based supplier of smart cards, has made its GemXplore Suite compatible to Nextenso multi-access, Internet portal software.

The combination of the two technologies will provide Gemplus customers with a host of mobile options, including the ability to access portfolios though mobile Internet over any GSM device, provide revenue-generating wireless services, post notification alerts and personalize home pages.

"With GemXplore Suite, Gemplus can now manage both cards and services from one platform to deliver any e-service to all customer," said Ng Fook Seng, business solutions director of Global Services, Gemplus Asia Pacific. "With the integration of Nextenso software suite, we can offer value-added services to our customers. These services enable operators to attract new customers, keep them coming back regularly and often, and generate new revenues."

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The London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE) has selected Radianz to provide secure IP connectivity for its new joint venture with Nasdaq.

The LIFFE/Nasdaq partnership will use RadianzNet, which already connects 60 financial institutions to LIFFE's global electronic trading system, to enable its customers to trade single stock futures in the United States. LIFFE hopes to have the system up and operating before the end of the year.

"Radianz has the technical expertise and the global reach needed to help LIFFE access more traders," said John Foyle, deputy chief executive for LIFFE. "The will allow the Nasdaq/LIFFE joint venture to create a truly global market that will support the trading of single stock futures in the U.S."

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Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company, Japan's leading credit card issuer, has implemented a new account decision engine from Fair, Isaac and Co., to boost the volume and profitability of its portfolio.

The engine, called StrategyWare, is a comprehensive and flexible management system that gives users the ability to design, test and execute complex decision strategies.

Sumitomo Mitsui will use the technology to streamline and automate its account origination operations and enhance its risk management decisions to meet changing marketplace demands.

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Bumiputra-Commerce Bank in Kuala Lumpur used ALLTEL products to help integrate the two retail banking processing platforms at use in the bank.

The platforms were legacy systems from Bank of Commerce and Bank Bumiputra, the two institutions that combined to create Bumiputra-Commerce Bank. ALLTEL managed to integrate the systems onto a single platform ahead of schedule.

"We chose to collaborate with ALLTEL to expedite the integration of our systems onto a common ALLTEL platform," said Dr. Rozali bin Mohammed Ali, managing director and CEO for Bumiputra-Commerce Bank. "A shorter timeline for the project give us significant business benefits and increases the convenience to our customers."

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Six European banks have agreed to use e-security products, services and solutions developed by Baltimore Technologies.

The banks--HypoVereins Bank in Germany, Staalbankiers in the Netherlands, Zagrebacka Banka in Croatia, Allied Irish Bank and Anglo Irish Bank in Ireland and Dexia Bank in Belgium--will use the products to create security infrastructures for online banking services and internal communication networks.