Mobile banking service offered for community banks by Fiserv ITI.

• Position: New Products

An integrated mobile banking service has been launched by Information Technology Inc. (ITI), Brookfield, Wisc., a business unit of Fiserv Inc. The service is called Premier Mobile Banking, and it is designed to allow customers to manage their account anytime and anywhere.

Operating on a browser embedded in handheld devices, the product is both carrier-independent and compatible with any Web-enabled device. Banking customers are able to check account balances, view recent transactions, receive alerts and transfer funds between accounts in real time with their cell phone or PDA.

United Bank of Michigan, Grand Rapids, Mich., with assets of $421 million, implemented the mobile banking solution in October 2007. "United Bank of Michigan strives to be a technology leader within the community bank market," says Tim Lockwood, senior vice president and chief information officer at the bank.

According to Lockwood, the bank's decision to offer mobile banking was based on strategic considerations and competition. Other major national banks in their market were about to release similar services.

The response from United Bank of Michigan customers and employees has been encouraging. While customer demand prior to implementation was limited, Lockwood says that mobile banking activity has built significantly in recent weeks, and virtually...