HSBC Bank Malta plc last week launched its Internet banking service together with its revamped www.hsbc.com.mt Website.
The new service, available to all HSBC Bank Malta customers, operates on the HSBC Group's Internet banking system, which is used worldwide by some 11 million customers.
The new Internet banking service, which was inaugurated at HSBC's Valletta area office by IT and Investments Minister Austin Gatt, includes several features unique to Internet banking in Malta, making it convenient and easy to use.
"User friendly is the best way to describe this service, as all HSBC customers need to do is access the bank's Website www.hsbc.com.mt and register online using either their Quikcash card or PhoneBanking card," HSBC said in a statement.
"Customers do not even need to call at an HSBC branch. Once this simple on-line registration is concluded, customers can begin benefiting from the wide range of services available, such as viewing online balances and transaction details for accounts and credit cards, inter-account transfers, bill payments and overseas third party transfers, among others."
Unique to HSBC's Internet banking service is the ability to open new savings, fixed and current accounts online.
HSBC's Internet banking service, is currently free of charge to all HSBC account holders, is highly secure, using 128-bit SSL encryption to ensure maximum confidentiality and security.
"HSBC Malta is committed to giving its customers the best possible service," HSBC Bank Malta chief executive officer Chris Hothersall, said last week. The launch of the service, he added, "offers a uniquely wide range of facilities to our customers. HSBC customers can now benefit from this user-friendly system to conduct most of their everyday banking with HSBC."
HSBC's Internet banking service also includes other new facilities for Malta. Foremost among these is that the service can be used by the visually impaired, using speech software such as Window Eyes.
This service and the new HSBC Bank Malta plc Website have both been given a clean audit certificate from the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA), who were consulted during the design and development stage.
HSBC have also installed dedicated public Internet banking kiosks in its Valletta, Paola, Mosta, Sliema and Gozo area offices. These kiosks have also been designed to be accessible for persons with a disability.
"We have already set in place the main building blocks for the creation of an information society," Dr Gatt said. "The next step is to reap the benefits on the investment made.
"During the next months our main focus will be on the proliferation of eBusiness." Dr Gatt also stressed that SMEs whole business cycle is to be re-engineered and integrated from beginning to end. This includes a very important aspect, banking.
There is much more room for take-up in Internet banking, with only 10 per cent of Maltese citizens, and only 37 per cent of enterprises using online banking services. "We will partner with banks to improve these to 50-75 per cent respectively by end 2004," Dr Gatt said.
He also announced that there will be more eGovernment services launched in the next few months. These include passport, taxation and Social Security services.
In this respect, Minister Gatt also welcomed the fact that as from April, HSBC debit card holders will be in a position to use their cards for e-Government services.
"HSBC customers can now go online and make use of one of the world's most up-to-date Internet banking facilities," Mr Hothersall said. "This new HSBC service, offering a wide range of facilities sets a new standard for Internet banking in Malta."