BNP Paribas and Orange to launch next-generation mobile bank

“Customers will be able to access the most innovative m-banking and m-payment services to manage their accounts and make payments using their mobile phones,” say the French banking group and mobile network operator.

Orange and BNP Paribas
PARTNERSHIP: Orange and BNP Paribas both have NFC experience

BNP Paribas has formed a strategic business partnership with Orange to jointly launch a new, entirely mobile, banking service. The deal between the French banking group and mobile network operator is designed to allow the pair to share expertise in their respective areas of excellence and is believed to be the first of its type in the world.

From November 2011, BNP Paribas customer advisers will be able to offer mobile banking to customers in all of the group’s 2,250 branches as well as through its internet banking channel.

“Customers will be able to access the most innovative m-banking and m-payment services to manage their accounts and make payments using their mobile phones,” say the partners. “The aim is to equip thousands of BNP Paribas customers with smartphones over a three-year period to combine the very best mobile services and banking services.”

BNP Paribas was one of the first banks to offer NFC payments for the Cityzi trial in Nice and has further invested in NFC in order to extend the pilot to other large French cities. It was also the first French bank to be on the iPad, created ‘La Net Agence’, France’s first completely online bank, and now has more than 300,000 customers who access banking services using their mobile phone.

Orange has been a key player in the French Cityzi NFC project and has taken a leading role in the development of NFC services in France abroad. “This partnership is in line with Orange’s ambition to develop new innovative services,” says the mobile operator. “The launch of the Cityzi Pass in the spring of 2010 in Nice to develop new near field communication technologies is also part of this approach.”

François Villeroy de Galhau, head of retail banking for BNP Paribas, said: “Thanks to this partnership we are promoting new uses and we are creating a new way of managing bank transactions. Orange’s expertise means that we can offer all our customers mobile banking and as a result of this inclusive and innovative offer, BNP Paribas has now become the first mobile bank in France”.

“For Orange, this partnership is an opportunity to explore new territories and to continue offering our customers more and more innovative services,” explained Orange France’s Delphine Ernotte. “It relies on Orange’s and BNP Paribas’ expertise to propose the best of both our worlds.”

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