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Ducont delivers mobile banking portal
-- By Peter Conmy

Ducont has announced a scheme to revolutionise mobile banking in the Middle East.

The Internet technology specialist is in negotiations with several UAE banks to set up and host mobile banking portals, according to the banks' instructions.

The company aims to offer an almost identical set of services to what is typically available on a standard Web site.

The UAE in particular has many financial institutions in the small to medium sized category. Ducont will offer to set up and maintain online services, taking all hosting and management issues off the hands of banks in return for retainer fees that it says will be highly competitive.

Portal Service

"These banks cannot afford to invest half a million dollars in their own hardware, and have a team to manage and maintain it," said Ivan Fernandes, managing director, Ducont. "They would rather have someone else do it for them.

" The portal service includes balance enquiries, funds transfers, acceptance of third party orders, utility payments and ordering a cheque book.

The offer extends to the ability to set up a standing order. Fernandes is currently planning a WAP portal with Arabic support: "The only thing that cannot be provided is a full bank statement, but I can show the last five transactions."