Secure i-mode Mobile Banking

Europe : SNS Bank is the first bank in the Netherlands to expand its i-mode site with this new feature. Bank customers can henceforth transfer money to any bank or giro account with their i-mode handset. This means for example being able to pay their bills wherever they are and whenever they want. All operations are secure according to strict international standards. This secure service is now available thanks to the introduction of the latest i-mode handset, the N341i from NEC, which is in the shops from today. Rabobank, one of the largest banks in the Netherlands, will also expand its i-mode site with secure mobile banking services from October; the other banks plan to follow suit shortly.

The N341i makes mobile banking just as secure as the Internet banking we all know. The use of the leading security techniques SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) ensures end-to-end security from the i-mode handset to the bank. A key icon on the i-mode handset's screen indicates that a secure connection has been made, just like the padlock icon on the fixed Internet. This high level of security offers new perspectives for other services involving confidential information such as mobile brokerage and the settlement of payments on the mobile.

SNS Bank's i-mode site already offers all i-mode customers balance and transaction information as well as transfers between their own SNS Bank accounts. Now, for the first time, customers can make transfers to third-party accounts with the N341i. There are no extra costs involved. Customers simply take a €1 monthly subscription to SNS Bank's i-mode service and pay for their data traffic as usual.

Versatile
The N341i offers much more besides secure connections. All i-mode sites and services look superb on the large main display, a high-resolution 65,356 colour screen. A second 4,096 colour outer display can be used as a viewfinder for the handset's built-in camera. With the N341i, customers can easily exchange photos via MMS or as an attachment to an e-mail. Uniquely, the N341i's camera also offers customers a digital zoom function. As well as the best in mobile gaming, Java support brings useful applications to the i-mode handset, allowing stock exchange graphics, sports news or weather charts to be automatically updated and animated, for example.

The N341i is available from €0 from 500 retail outlets including Primafoon, Business Center and www.kpn.com. With the introduction of the N341i, KPN now offers the choice from 4 i-mode handsets and 2 i-mode browser compatible handsets in the Netherlands. This handset portfolio will be further expanded during the coming months.

With i-mode, customers can surf i-mode sites, e-mail and chat, download games, applications and ringtones, send and receive photos and much more. Currently, the i-mode menu offers the choice of over 150 services from more than 120 content partners.