Press Release
    Fleet Enhances Voice Guidance ATMs For the Visually Impaired

    BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRe) March 17, 2003--FleetBoston Financial
announced today that several enhancements have been made to Fleet's
Voice Guidance ATMs, popularly referred to as "Talking ATMs." Introduced
in February of 2001, Talking ATMs allow the blind and visually impaired
to make withdrawals and deposits, make transfers/payments to linked
accounts, or obtain balance information using standard earphones plugged
into a private audio jack at the ATM. The new features, using the same
audio system, will allow customers to set or change their PIN, set or
change their Fleet Cash amount (pre-set, preferred withdrawal amount),
purchase stamps, submit payment envelopes (e.g. Fleet loan payments),
and print mini-statements. "Fleet has put a lot of time, effort, and
resources into improving the customer experience, and we think our
visually impaired customers should benefit from that same gold service
standard," said Brad Warner, executive vice president of Consumer and
Small Business Services. As of March 1, 2003, Fleet had 1,221 Talking
ATMs throughout the eight states in its Northeast franchise, with plans
to add nearly 200 more Talking ATMs by the end of the year. Customers
can locate a Fleet Talking ATM by calling 1-800-841-4000 or by logging
on to www.fleet.com and using the ATM locator. Customers who do not have
earphones can obtain free ones at any Fleet branch with a Talking ATM or
by calling the 800 number above. Just as non-Fleet customers can use
Fleet ATMs for withdrawals, any of the visually impaired public can make
use of Fleet Talking ATMs. (Note for non-customers: as with any
non-customer using a Fleet ATM, there would be an ATM surcharge.) In
addition to Talking ATMs, Fleet offers its visually impaired customers
checking and savings statements in their choice of large print, Braille,
audiocassette, or computer disk, and Personal Deposit Account
Agreements, Fee Schedules and Banking Brochures are available in these
media as well. For customers using Fleet HomeLink Online Banking and
Bill Payment, the Accessibility page of www.fleet.com offers tips for
using online banking with screen reader technology. In addition, upon
request, Fleet will waive the monthly Bill Payment fee for visually
impaired and other disabled customers. It is estimated that over one
million Americans are legally blind and another 12 million Americans
experience some form of irreversible visual impairment. As many as
75,000 Americans become blind each year, and the visually impaired
category increases by 120,000. The fastest growing segment of this
population is the elderly, who are at the greatest risk of developing
degenerative eye disease. FleetBoston Financial is the seventh-largest
financial holding company in the United States, with assets of $190
billion. The company's principal businesses, Personal Financial Services
and Commercial Financial Services, offer a comprehensive array of
innovative financial solutions to 20 million customers. Through its
Personal Financial Services franchise, Fleet offers retail banking,
wealth management and investment services, nationwide brokerage, credit
card and consumer lending services. These services are available through
approximately 1,500 branches and more than 3,500 ATMs in the Northeast;
through Fleet HomeLink(SM) online banking, one of the nation's leading
online banking platforms; and through telephone banking. Fleet is the
leading small business services and commercial banking provider in the
Northeast. Fleet's Commercial Financial Services Division provides
commercial lending, syndications, capital raising and advisory, leasing,
cash management, asset-based finance, foreign exchange and interest rate
derivatives to clients. FleetBoston Financial is headquartered in Boston
and listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: FBF) and the Boston
Stock Exchange (BSE: FBF).

    --30--MB/bo*

    CONTACT: FleetBoston Financial Karl E. Felsen, 518/447-2184
[log in to unmask]


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html