BB&T to offer integrated suite of mobile banking services

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., NOVATO, Calif. and SAUSALITO, Calif., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Winston-Salem-based BB&T Corporation today said it has partnered with two California-based mobile banking and payment providers to offer one of the industry's most comprehensive mobile banking services.

BB&T's three-phase rollout of the new service is set to begin next month and is expected to be completed in the first quarter when a full menu of mobile banking options will be available to BB&T clients. The services include two-way mobile messaging, mobile Web access and mobile banking applications

BB&T is the first customer of a newly-formed partnership between ClairMail Inc. of Novato, Calif., and mFoundry of Sausalito, Calif.

"We selected ClairMail and mFoundry because their integrated approach will allow BB&T to use mobile messaging, mobile Web and application solutions at the same time," said BB&T Electronic Delivery Channels Manager Barbara Duck. "We are passionate about providing our clients with better value through rational innovation in a highly profitable manner."

The ClairMail/mFoundry service will allow BB&T to offer banking services using a mobile phone and integrated messaging. It will enable BB&T to provide a broad set of two-way services -- including account management, fraud mitigation and direct customer service.

BB&T clients who sign up for the new service will be eligible to receive low-balance, overdraft or cleared-check alerts on their phones in real time. They can be notified when withdrawals or deposits exceed a specified amount and can automatically receive balance information at the end of the day or week.

Clients also will be able to respond to alerts using their phone. If a low balance alert comes in, for example, a client can use their phone to transfer funds from another account. Clients can also check balances, view transactions and locate BB&T branches or ATMs. Future plans would allow clients to pay bills using their mobile phones.

"We are certainly excited about being on the cutting edge of mobile phone banking technology, and more importantly, what this means for our clients," said BB&T Online Channel Manager Paal Kaperdal. "This new service is merely another extension of what we're already doing as a financial services company. The goal is to offer the same positive and predictable experience with new technologies as our clients have come to expect in our financial centers."

ClairMail/mFoundry officials say their service provides clients with security on par with Web banking best practices.

"mFoundry's mBanking application has been selected by leading banks and wireless operators around the globe for its rich functionality, strong security and easy distribution and maintenance," said Joseph Salesky, chief executive officer of ClairMail. "We are thrilled to bring together mFoundry's Spotlight Platform and the ClairMail system to enable the triple play of user interfaces for BB&T."

"ClairMail's platform combined with our Spotlight mBanking solution answers an industry need," said Drew Sievers, chief executive officer of mFoundry. "mFoundry's feature-rich application combined with the ClairMail messaging, mobile Web and two-way capabilities will give BB&T one clear and easy solution."

With $127.6 billion in assets and more than 1,500 financial centers in 11 states, BB&T Corporation is the nation's 11th largest financial holding company. More information about the company is available at http://www.bbt.com/.

About mFoundry

mFoundry is an award-winning mobile application platform provider. mFoundry's Spotlight Financial Platform offers a complete financial services solution for financial institutions, wireless carriers and their customers. mFoundry is based in Sausalito, Calif., and has been recognized as one of "10 Emerging Wireless Players to Watch" by IDC and one of "Ten Tech Companies to Watch" by Bank Technology News. For more information, please visit http://www.mfoundry.com/.

About ClairMail

ClairMail optimizes any mobile phone for two-way customer interaction. Only ClairMail offers mobile banking and payments applications that use a phone's existing messaging and mobile web software and extend third-party native client applications. On one platform and implementation, ClairMail empowers financial institution customers with easy and immediate two-way access to secure information, account management, no-hold customer service and Actionable Alerts(TM). Founded in 2004, ClairMail is privately funded and headquartered in Novato, Calif.