Mellon is currently being sued on ATM inaccessibility by the Disability
Law Project of Pennsylvania. The pilot by the bank is independent from
those involved in the lawsuit. A similar lawsuit by the Disability Law
Project against PNC Bankcorp was tentatively settled with reader
assistance through cellular telephones as the atm access solution.
kelly
February 21, 2001
Mellon Piloting Voice-Guided ATMs at 11 Locations
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Mellon Bank today announced that
it has equipped the automated teller machines (ATMs) at 11 Mellon
locations in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg with
voice-guided technology to assist visually impaired customers.
This pilot program establishes Mellon as the first major financial
services provider to offer voice-guided technology in Mellon's retail
market area. The voice-guided feature is designed to allow visually
impaired customers to insert a conventional set of audio headphones,
similar to those used with portable radios and music players, into the
ATM. The customer then hears through the earphones private voice
instructions on how to conduct basic ATM transactions.
The ATMs at the following Mellon locations have been equipped with
voice- guided technology:
Pittsburgh (4 locations):
-- Oliver Avenue - downtown, opposite Mellon Square
-- Penn Hills - 6125 Saltsburg Road
-- Ross Park Mall
-- University - Fifth Avenue & Craig Street, Oakland
Harrisburg (1 location):
-- Main - 10 S. Market Street
Philadelphia (6 locations):
-- Bala Cynwyd - 15 City Line Avenue
-- Haddington Mall - 57th and Vine Streets
-- Second & Chestnut - 123 Chestnut Street
-- Stenton - 6324 Stenton Avenue
-- University City - 36th and Walnut Streets
-- Eighth and Walnut - 830 Walnut Street
"This technology was designed to allow visually impaired customers who
use these ATMs to hear a helpful voice. We hope they also hear the
sound of a financial services provider attempting to meet their
special needs," said Paul S. Beideman, executive vice president and
head of Mellon Retail Financial Services. "Piloting this first series
of talking ATMs in our retail market area reflects our commitment to
providing our retail customers with a level of service commensurate
with Mellon's corporate objective of becoming the best performing
financial services company."
"By making it easier to interact with an ATM, voice-guided technology
provides an important assist to visually impaired people living
independently in our community" said Dr. Richard L. Welsh, president
of Pittsburgh Vision Services. "We congratulate Mellon on being the
first financial institution in Pennsylvania to provide this service,
and we look forward to working with Mellon on ways to make the service
as responsive as possible to the needs of visually impaired
customers."
Mellon Financial Corporation (NYSE: MEL) is a global financial
services company. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Mellon is one of the
world's leading providers of asset management, trust, custody and
benefits consulting services and offers a comprehensive array of
banking services for individuals and corporations. Mellon has $2.8
trillion in assets under management, administration or custody,
including $530 billion under management. Its asset management
companies include The Dreyfus Corporation and Newton Investment
Management Limited (U.K.).
Press releases and other information about Mellon and its products and
services are available at www.mellon.com on the Internet. For Mellon
press releases by fax, call 1-800-758-5804, identification number
552187.
/CONTACT: Ron Sommer of Mellon Financial, 412-236-0082, or
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