Customers of Citibank in Thailand have joined Germany and Russia to be able to receive SMS alerts when transactions occur in their bank or credit card accounts.

The new Citibank Alert Service in Thailand sends an alert via email or SMS whenever a card statement is ready or account payment is due.

This follows a similar service by Citibank in Germany and in May 2006, Citibank launched a similar Alerting Service in Russia. Citi Alerts offers a free alerts service for both checking accounts and credit cards via SMS or e-mail.

With this service customers know within a few minutes after the transaction that their salary has arrived in their account, or there has been a direct debit – a plus in transparency, safety and control.

“Bank customers want to know which movements take place on their account”, says Claudia Thiele, head of credit cards at Citibank Germany. “Customer can react immediately in case of suspicious transactions” she said.

Customers can choose from more than 20 different kinds of notifications for the three service areas: checking/savings account, custody account and credit card. Alerts are also sent about suspicious credit card transactions.

Sybase is to aquire Mobile 365 in an all cash transaction.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2006 with a purchase price US$425 million. For its fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, Mobile 365 generated approximately $90 million in revenue.

Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, Mobile 365 is privately held and backed by leading venture capital firms including Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Draper Atlantic Venture, 3i Technology Partners, Institutional Venture Partners, and Mayfield.

Mobile 365 claims to deliver 3.5 billion messages per month and have reach to nearly 700 mobile operators around the world.

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in California, Sybase is one of the largest independent software vendors in the world with revenues of US$818.7 million in 2005.

“The mobile messaging market in the U.S. alone is expected to grow to $7.5 billion by 2008″ said John Chen, Sybase chairman, CEO and president. “Getting closer to this exploding mobile market through carriers is a key extension of our Unwired Enterprise strategy. Mobile 365 brings unparalleled breadth and depth of carrier relationships and the largest mobile messaging and content delivery platform, solidly positioning Sybase between carriers, global brands and mobile content.”

Following the closing of the transaction, Mobile 365 will operate as Sybase Mobile 365, a wholly-owned subsidiary. The new subsidiary will be led by Marty Beard, Sybase’s senior vice president of corporate development and marketing, who will be named president of Sybase Mobile 365.

Text messages no longer play a supporting role in communications, but are now a common, main mode of communication. They are not only a means of communication, but also an important method for information delivery.

The frustration one feels when one cannot receive an important text message is inexpressible. When the text message has been automatically deleted because the message box has reached its limit, when one has left their mobile phone at home, or the power is off, making it impossible to check an important text message… An additional service has been released to resolve such inconvenient situations.

The “Text Manager” service that SK Telecom has launched is a comprehensive messaging manager service that manages the text messages and color mail (MMS) sent and received via mobile phone. Text messages and color mail sent and received via mobile phone can be viewed, searched and saved, and replies can also be sent.

Subscribers to this service can save 2,000 text messages and 30 MMS messages (up to 10 megabytes), with a monthly fee of KRW 900. The service can be used for free together with the free 100 messages provided each month on the Web to SK Telecom customers, and a per message fee of KRW 30 when exceeding the number of free provisions.

Also, with the “Text Manager” services, sent and received messages can be searched by number and name, and the”My Log” function allows saved messages to be decorated with a photo to save in one’s PC or to send to a friend via email. There are also diverse functions such as “Fun Text Statistics”, that allows messages frequently sent or received to be viewed by date or ranking.

To enable customers to experience the convenience of the “Text Manager”, SK Telecom is holding an event for free application to the “Text Manager” from August 24 to the end of September. Those that subscribe during this period can use the services for free for one month. Prizes such as a Honda motorcycle, Sony laptop, Sony DSLR camera, Lamborghini bicycle, and Tiffany couple ring will also be provided during the event.

The service can be applied to via wireless Nate – “My” -> “monthly flat fee” -> “Text Manager” – as well as through the NateOn text transmission window (Free Plus), E-station (www.e-station.com), and SK T-World(www.sktworld.com).

When a user has left his/her mobile phone at home, voice calls can still be received through call forwarding, but text messages could not be received until now.

To resolve such problems, on August 25 SK Telecom launched the “Forwarding Plus” services, and text messages can be forward at KRW 1,500 per month, while a fee of KRW 1,900 allows usage with call forwarding services. By the second half of this year, services will also be provided for forwarding of MMS messages.

Services can be applied to through online, offline, mobile customer centers and SK Telecom agencies.