The deal will see Bank One, the sixth largest bank holding company in the U.S., use Microsoft’s .NET Alerts Service to notify customers of financial information such as account activity information and bill payment reminders using a variety of devices from desktops to mobile phones. Microsoft’s .NET will consolidate all of the bank’s back-end systems, which some observers say will facilitate a mobile banking experience that replicates the PC-based environment.

In addition, Bank One will promote Microsoft Great Plains software as well as bCentral Web site offering on-line services for small businesses.

By way of Microsoft’s MSN family of Web sites, Bank One will be able to promote its services and financial products.

Microsoft’s technology and services, including the .NET platform and MSN, " will help Bank One reach a broad universe of new customers, provide new services to existing customers and help streamline how these services are delivered," said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft.

For Bank One, the Microsoft deal will enable it to deliver multi-channel banking services to its 60 million individual, business and investment customers. While Microsoft will have an opportunity to put its much anticipated .NET platform to work, hoping that its technology will lead the way in the world of pervasive computing.