Software Firms In Reciprocal Marketing Deal

Edify Corp. and Applied Communications Inc., a unit of Transaction Systems Architects Inc., have agreed to market each other's on-line banking products and services.

The deal is aimed at giving banks a complete Internet banking system.

Edify makes software that can act as the front end of such a system. Applied Communications makes transaction processing software for on-line bill payments and telephone banking, said Karin Brown, senior product manager at Applied Communications in Omaha.

"Our sales reps will be out there talking about Edify," she said.

Applied Communications' main product is called Base24. It is used by 475 banks for electronic transaction processing.

Edify, Santa Clara, Calif., offers banks Internet-based, self-service software called Electronic Banking System, or EBS.

The system was launched last May and has been installed by Chase Manhattan Corp. and First Union Corp. It also has been endorsed by Visa Interactive, which promotes EBS to its customers.

Jon Howe, chief financial officer at Applied Communications, said its deal with Edify is part of its move to "the new frontier of Internet banking."

"We chose Edify because they have been at the forefront of creating Web- based products and are an excellent option for our customers," he said.

Edify also will supply an interactive voice response feature for Applied Communications' systems to process.