Everlink Payment Services, a provider of electronic transactions and payments services to the Canadian financial services marketplace, will now offer mobile banking and payment options.

Everlink has partnered with Monitise Americas, a mobile banking and payments service provider. Everlink will offer the Monitise Americas mobile banking platform to financial institutions throughout Canada, including 375 credit unions, several domestic and foreign subsidiary banks and independent service organizations.

"Fast-changing consumer habits and preferences are reshaping the banking and financial services industry, as demand for technologies catering to consumer's on-the-go lifestyles increases, -- said Lisa Stanton, CEO of Monitise Americas , Providence, RI. -- In fact, according to Celent LLC, an estimated 30 percent of U.S households that use online banking will use some form of mobile banking by 2010.

"This joint venture marks the first commercially available mobile banking and payments service in Canada through Everlink's existing network that provides switching services to Canadian banks and over 90 percent of the national credit union system," she said.

Everlink is a national electronic services supplier providing switching services to the Canadian credit union system as well as to several banks and ISOs. The company specializes in gateway transaction switching, ATM/POS driving, device monitoring and card processing services.

Monitise has relationships with more than 30 financial institutions, offering its customers services such as balance inquiry, account transfers, SMS text alerts and bill pay via their mobile devices.

Monitise Americas has already successfully deployed its service in the United States through the NYCE Payments Network and for H&R Block's Emerald card (see story).

Other Monitise customers are California Business Bank, First National Bank of LaGrange Commerce Bank of Arizona and Wedbush Bank in Los Angeles.

By deploying the Monitise Americas platform, financial institutions throughout Canada will be able to deliver a mobile banking and payments service designed to be compatible across multiple wireless carriers.

End-users will be able to check their account balances, view recent transactions, transfer funds and receive text message alerts. Future planned services include bill payment and person-to-person payments.

"We're building towards our goal of expansion throughout North America," Ms. Stanton said. "We're looking forward to partnering with Everlink and introducing our solution to a new marketplace."