Banks Now Primed To Offer Interactive Billing

To the Editor:

"Slow" is a relative term, especially when it comes to discussing adoption of new technologies.

The American Banker/PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of electronic billing ("Banks Seem Distant Also-Hans in Electronic Billing Race," May 20, page 11) confirms what we already know-that banks require a high level of trust, reliability, and security before they introduce new services.

I think interactive billing has now crossed that threshold.

This is a service that banks will embrace wholeheartedly, especially for their corporate customers.

The ability to evolve traditional cash management relationships into the electronic commerce arena is a phenomenal opportunity. And on the consumer side, these types of service can provide a competitive front against the incursion of virtual banks.

My prediction is that next year's survey will reflect tremendous activity in this area.

Mike Littell

President, U.S. banking division,

Electronic Data Systems Corp., Plano, Tex.