TOKYO -- (Marketwire) -- 10/02/08 -- IBM Japan (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has signed agreements with the Chiba Bank Ltd, the Daishi Bank Ltd, and the Hokkoku Bank Ltd to build a Call Center System common for the three banks.

The agreement was signed as a part of the TSUBASA project to examine system integration between the five banks of Chiba Bank, Daishi Bank, Hokkoku Bank, the Chuugoku Bank Ltd and The Iyo Bank Ltd. This initiative is expected to create new value through open cooperation across multiple regions and has been named the TSUBASA project after the Japanese word for "wing."

Chiba Bank, Daishi Bank, and Hokkoku Bank have agreed for collaboration development for the system as their call center system contracts were up for renewal. IBM Japan will launch the system development starting in October 2008. The system will be in operation at each bank from November 2009 to March 2010.

This Call Center System will be developed by utilizing the system infrastructure of "IBM® Channel Sharing Center Service" the outsourcing service, created by IBM Global Business Services, to share unified channels of internet and voice for multiple financial institutions. By combining system infrastructure for servers and telephone switching devices, it can decrease maintenance cost of the system and improve operational quality. Compared to having each bank develop and utilize its own system separately, the collaboration development will not only reduce the development cost per bank, but also achieve the flexibility to manage future system enhancement for new products and services.

With system operation and application maintenance services, provided by IBM Japan, the IBM Channel Sharing Center Service environment will handle telephone devices and transactions in call centers of financial institutions. Also by utilizing both function types of internet and voice, customer service can be enhanced through the link of internet and call center. IBM Japan will actively develop and extend services of Call Center System also for other banks.

The agreements were signed in September of 2008.

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