When its acquisition of Charter One Financial is completed later this year,
Citizens will be one of the 10 biggest banks in the United States with more
than 24,000 employees at more than 1,400 branches in 13 states.  Some may
remember that the Disabilities Law Project, the litigation arm of
Pennsylvania Protection and Advocacy, settled a lawsuit in July 2002
regarding talking ATM access in which citizens agreed to install some
talking ATMs at some locations and branches.  That settlement can be found
at:

http://www.nfbp.org/Banking/

The commitment announced last week as described in the article below will
have a talking ATM in every citizens branch by the end of 2005.  in
addition, citizens will provide free headsets to all blind persons for use
with the talking ATMs and will make printed materials available in alternate
formats.

Kelly



The Day [New London, Connecticut]
August 13, 2004


    Citizens To Offer 'talking' ATMs Soon

Device can be heard with a headset, audio prompts

    By ANTHONY CRONIN

Day Staff Writer


    Citizens Bank, which has an extensive branch network throughout New
London County, said Thursday that it will provide hundreds of "talking"
automated teller machines at its branches across New England by the close
of next year.

    Citizens officials also pledged to have 40 of the so-called talking
ATMs in its Connecticut branches and to have at least half of them
installed by the end of this year.

    The Providence-based Citizens' Connecticut operations include 42
branches and 47 ATMs in southeastern and central Connecticut.

    Citizens Bank of Connecticut is based in New London, with assets of
$3.4 billion and more than 400 employees.

    The Connecticut operation also includes commercial lending offices in
New London, Hartford, Middletown and New Haven.

    "We look forward to providing visually impaired customers, including
seniors, with machines that are both cutting-edge and easy to navigate,"
said Joseph MarcAurele, who heads Citizens' Connecticut operations.

    The machines will feature the option to listen in English or Spanish
and are designed to benefit anyone with difficulty reading a standard ATM
screen.

    Citizens said the talking ATMs can be heard by customers plugging in
headsets and listening to a series of audio prompts that guide them
through their transactions.

    While nearly any type of portable headphones will work with the
specialty ATMs, Citizens said it will provide free headsets for those who
order them through its PhoneBank at 1-800-922-9999.

    Citizens said the ATM effort will affect 450 of its ATMs across its
New England network and pledged to have at least one talking ATM at each
of its branch locations by the end of 2005.

    Besides the upgraded ATMs, Citizens also plans to enhance the
accessibility of its online banking pages and provide printed information
in large print and in Braille for those who have visual problems or are
visually impaired.

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    © The Day Publishing Co., 2004 For home delivery, please call
1-800-542-3354 Ext. 4700

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=A0A21CBE-1F2F-421D-98A8-BE8309D09F22

    --


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