International Bytes

Banco de Bogota , Colombia, has signed a three-year renewal agreement with ALLTEL that will provide its branches with lending, deposits and customer information software and services.

An ALLTEL Information Services client since 1988, Banco de Bogota has assets exceeding $3 billion and operates a network of 280 branch offices. The bank utilizes ALLTEL's deposits, savings, commercial lending, customer information systems, facilities management, architecture and origination and warehouse offerings. During 2002, Banco de Bogota is expected to implement ALLTEL's products at two additional affiliated Colombian banks.

"ALLTEL continues to provide our growing organization with dependable, proven products to enable our organization to meet our business objectives," said Dr. Alejandro Figueroa, chief executive officer for Banco de Bogota. "Our long-term relationship with ALLTEL is a testament to the level of partnership that Banco de Bogota shares with ALLTEL."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gornosl_ski Bank Gospodarczy S.A. (GBG), Katowice, Poland, has selected Sanchez Profile, an integrated, multi-currency banking package produced by Sanchez Computer Associates Inc. The technology will replace the GBG's retail banking environment with a fully integrated bank branch, ATM and agent processing solution.

Although Poland is not yet a member of the European Union, the country is moving to bring its banks in line with the market requirements of the European Union's common currency. GBG and other Polish banks are looking to update their technology and operating infrastructures to accommodate euro standards. GBG has licensed version 6.3 of Sanchez' Profile, which is euro-compliant.

Auto loans are one of GBG's primary business lines and are managed through a network of 300 agents who receive commission payments. Profile's agent processing functions will supply the bank with the back-office settlement and accounting for commission-based sales on this product line. Profile will also interface to the existing agent/broker front-end application operating in agent offices. In addition to auto loans, GBG offers current accounts (deposit), investment accounts, consumer loans, guarantees and cash advances, credit cards and processes both domestic and foreign payments.

"The competitive pace of financial services in Poland has quickened. As a result, there is a greater need for institutions to operate more efficiently and to focus on supplying customers with the products and services they want," said Tadeusz Wnuk, president of Gornosl_ski Bank Gospodarczy. "Sanchez's Profile provides our bank with an integrated solution centered on the customer and a modern processing infrastructure that supports our requirement to deliver our products and services through multiple channels, including those we are contemplating for the future."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Credit Agricole Indosuez Gulf, Dubai, has launched a standalone e-banking solution from Fontis pcBanking, an Ireland-based subsidiary of Misys International Banking Systems

The Fontis software enables the bank to deliver a variety of secure electronic banking services directly to its clients' desktops, thereby giving their clients round-the-clock access to their accounts as well to the bank's facilities. The services delivered through Fontis include statements of account and balance reporting, receiving and executing client instructions for remittances, cash management, opening LC's and issuing LGs.

"The new system will result in faster and more efficient cash management, thereby increasing productivity and reducing communication costs," said Jean-Claude Kitabgi, regional manager, Credit Agricole Indosuez Gulf

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dexia Banque Internationale a Luxembourg has selected PAYplus CLS software from Jersey City, N.J.-based Fundtech Ltd. to facilitate the settlement of foreign exchange (FX) trades in the Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) environment.

PAYplus CLS will provide Dexia with a complete suite of integrated FX payment and settlement services, allowing the bank to access CLS user banks, trade matching, liquidity management, reconciliation, interfaces to back-office systems, credit systems and exchange rate systems. PAYplus CLS also supports straight-through processing by interfacing with internal bank systems to automate the entire transaction workflow--from trade matching to funding and payment scheduling--while providing tools for risk management and forecasting.

"Fundtech's PAYplus CLS has a track record of being one of the best in the market," said Gilbert Jungen, senior vice president, Advisor to the Management, Dexia Banque Internationale a Luxembourg. "Fundtech's willingness to work within our time frame, the functionality of their product, their superior knowledge of the industry and the market, and their ability to conduct business in French, made them the obvious choice for us."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commerzbank has chosen Snap Server network area storage (NAS) products from Quantum Corporation, Milpitas, Calif., as a back up solution for its network of branches throughout Germany.

The bank was search for a cost-effective and time saving addition to its present backup system, which secures data centrally in Frankfurt. Commerzbank was also particularly interested in data security. The low running costs, high performance and short delivery times convinced the bank that the Snap Server was the right solution.

"The practicality and dependability of the Snap Server fits in perfectly with Commerzbank's strategy, which aims to reduce costs in branch banking," said Gerhard Fay, head of National Client/Server Services of the Central Service Department IT Productions of Commerzbank. "After the extensive testing of various NAS solutions, the Snap Server emerged as the clear winner as they ensure data integrity even where there are high storage needs."