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To: Sam Biller who wrote (18)	2/25/1999 8:30:00 AM
From: Sam Biller	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 103

11:41 PM ET 02/23/99 NZ Post to trial CheckFree-backed Internet billing WELLINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Bank of New Zealand Credit Cards, U.S.-owned cable company Saturn Communications and New Zealand Post said on Wednesday they would trial an electronic billing service to allow customers to receive and pay bills using the Internet. CheckFree USA and Bank of New Zealand had been key partners in the development of the NZ Post service and BNZ would provide the payment mechanism for the trial, the three companies said in a statement. Saturn Communications chief financial officer Vicki Potts said the service would be open to a wide range of banks and service providers in the longer term. "A key attraction of the service is that it isn't tied to any one bank or utility. In the future, our customers will be able to pay a large number of their household bills using the one system," Potts said in a statement. NZ Post chief executive Elmar Toime said the service would allow banks and billers to offer electronic bill delivery and payment services without the need to develop their own system and infrastructure. "We're looking forward to getting their input to ensure the service meets the needs of both billing organisations and their customers," he said. Bank of New Zealand managing director Mike Pratt said the service would streamline the bank's credit card billing service. "The benefits of electronic billing are that it allows us to extend the range of services we offer and provides customers with an easy and flexible way to pay bills," Pratt said. Saturn, which entered the New Zealand telecoms market in 1995, is owned mainly by U.S.-based United International Holdings and Canada's SaskTel International. ((Wellington newsroom, +64 4 471 4272, fax +64 4 473 6212; wellington.newsroom@reuters.com))