Cable & Wireless Optus and Talisman Technologies are set to launch Australia's first real time enabled, end-to-end enterprise business and transaction service. It will provide value-added services to the Australian business market through a range of delivery channels including kiosks and internet portals.

The IP-based service, called DataStorm, will integrate financial transaction switch technology, with real time Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and browser based delivery services.

Both parties will contribute shared infrastructure to develop services for the Australian business market and progressively on a global basis. Optus will provide the global IP network, infrastructure, transaction switch and payment gateway services. Talisman will provide advanced technology in real time payment and data management solutions.

Chris Hancock, Managing Director, Data and Business Services said the relationship between Optus and Talisman Technologies is unique to the Australian market.

?DataStorm will provide a true value-add to current electronic payment gateway solutions, by incorporating a range of applications and content to the payment engine. None of our competitors are able to deliver a service quite like this.

"Cable & Wireless Optus already services most of the dial-up EFTPOS transaction market in Australia. Offering the DataStorm service is a logical step forward from our dial-up Transact EFTPOS payment gateway service, by providing value added services to our banking, finance, retail and entertainment customers," he said.

"We are first to offer a complete end-to-end solution on product bundles, provisioning, management, network and hardware."

Ian Plater, CEO, Talisman Technologies said DataStorm is geared to serve the needs of businesses operating in global markets.

"Access to ASP services, broadband technology and key hardware manufacturing partnerships will provide instant and reliable solutions to DataStorm clients."

"The alliance will allow Talisman to demonstrate the power of its business solution to global target clients," Mr Plater said.

Service trials are being developed with the banking, finance, retail and entertainment markets. DataStorm services should be ready for market by June 2001.

For more information:
Melissa Favero
Cable & Wireless Optus
Phone: 02 9342 5030

Ian Plater
Talisman Technologies
Phone: 0411 172 300

ABOUT THE SERVICE

The DataStorm system will include:

• A secure financial transaction authorisation and settlement switch;
• Real-time information access;
• Multimedia-capable delivery channels;
• End-to-end, seamless transaction capability;
• Talisman's Operational Data Store ('ODS') sub-system which records all customer activity throughout the DataStorm enterprise on behalf of each client;
• Support for real-time customisation of content and marketing on a per customer basis;

The Datastorm service will have the ability to deliver content to the customer over a range of delivery channels, including:

• Traditional transactional devices such as ATMs and Point Of Sale ('POS') terminals enhanced with full multimedia capabilities to increase the range of services delivered over the devices;
• Multimedia Kiosks;
• Internet Portals;
• Wireless Application Protocol ('WAP') devices;
• Less conventional transactional devices such as Personal Digital Assistants ('PDA').