From the frigid north, e-cash !! > Royal Bank of Canada - Consumers can make e-cash withdrawals and deposits from home with new Aastra device that plugs into the phone.
MONTREAL/CNW/Consumers will soon be able
to make e-cash withdrawals and deposits
from home with a telephony device that
plugs into home phones and operates much
like an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). This
device, designed by Aastra Technologies
Limited with leading-edge technology from
AudeSi Technologies Inc., will use Royal Bank
Mondex, a payment system where electronic
cash is stored on a smart card. This new
ATM-like device will be piloted in 1999 by
Royal Bank clients in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
''We are excited to have Royal Bank as a
partner to bring this product to the
consumer,'' said Francis Shen, Chairman &
CEO of Aastra Technologies Limited. ''At the
same time, we are confident of the flexibility
of the Java based software technologies
developed by AudeSi. The software structure
allows this telecom device to easily
incorporate other e-cash systems or loyalty
applications. This means Aastra will have a
versatile upgrade program for this product to
handle other smart card applications in this
ever changing technology environment.''
This ATM-like device will allow consumers to
transfer funds from person to person either
at the same location or over the phone. The
device will also support most popular
telephone network services such as Caller ID,
Visual Call Waiting and Voice Mail.
''The new Aastra telephony device is an
important addition to the Mondex smart card
program,'' said Al McGale, vice president of
smart cards, for Royal Bank. ''From our
experience in the Mondex pilot project in
Guelph, Ontario, we have learned that the
ability to withdraw and deposit e-cash from
the consumer's home was found to be an
important element of the program.''
Aastra Technologies Limited (Alberta:AAH)
develops, manufactures and distributes
telecommunications equipment. Aastra offers
a full line of products ranging from Caller ID
adjuncts to full-featured communications
systems. Aastra sells to the majority of the
telecommunications companies in North
America. In the retail market, Aastra has the
exclusive license to use the ''BELL(R)
Equipment - SONECOR'' trademark for
telephone sets and its products are
distributed to the majority of mass retailers
in North America.
AudeSi Technologies Inc. is a privately held
technology start-up company based in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada. AudeSi develops,
markets, and licenses smart card based
terminals and subsystems that facilitate
multi-application smart card applications.
Royal Bank of Canada (RY) is Canada's
premier global financial services group and a
leading provider of personal and business
banking, corporate and investment banking,
and wealth management services. As one of
North America's largest financial institutions,
Royal Bank and its key subsidiaries Royal
Trust, RBC Dominion Securities, RBC
Insurance, and Royal Bank Action Direct have
60,000 employees (on a full-time equivalent
basis) who serve 10 million clients through
more than 1,500 branches and offices in 36
countries. Royal Bank is a member of Mondex
Canada and Mondex International.
/For further information: Allan Brett, Aastra
Technologies Limited, (416) 736-7070 ext.
360 or Raymond Chouinard, Public Affairs,
Royal Bank, (514) 874-6656 or Lucie Caron,
Public Affairs, Royal Bank, (416) 974-1756/
(RY.)
[Copyright 1998, Canada Newswire] |
