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February 09, 2004

LEVEL FOUR EXTENDS FUNCTIONALITY OF TESTING TOOLS TO SUPPORT NATIONWIDE 'FAST TILL' ATM'S

Nationwide Building Society utilise flexibility of Level Four's products for ongoing expansion of smart ATMs

London, 9 February 2004 - Level Four Software, the leading provider of ATM test and development software today announced that Nationwide Building Society is extending the use of Level Four's ATM Channel Development Suite to test the advanced functionality of its 'FASTTill ' ATMs. Nationwide required a solution to improve testing schedules and reduce costs as it continues to deploy 'FAST Till' ATMs throughout it's branch network. In conjunction with Nationwide, Level Four has developed two new products, Bunch Note Acceptor plug-in and Cheque Processing Module plug-in, to meet the Building Society's testing needs.

Nationwide's network of 'FAST Till' ATMs are providing customers with four new services: an automated bunch note cash deposit service which links directly to the card holder's account so cash is instantly credited; an intelligent cheque deposit service that provides a scanned image of the cheque on the customer receipt; cheque issuance for bankers draft dispensing and passbook printing.

Nationwide already uses Level Four's tools to test its ATM network functionality and has extended support to include its 'FAST Till' machines. Level Four and Nationwide have been working closely together to develop the Bunch Note Acceptor and Cheque Processing Module - two new plug-in modules to Level Four's ATM Channel Development Suite. These modules provide effective testing capability for Nationwide's advanced self-service banking ATMs that sit alongside traditional ATMs based in branch lobby environments.

The actual behaviour of the 'FAST Till' ATMs is replicated through software modelling in Level Four's tool set. The unique scripting capabilities of the software architecture means it can emulate the 'personality' of the new smart ATMs and thoroughly test each area of functionality. The flexibility of the software also means that integrating new and evolving functionality into testing schedules can happen with relative ease, without impacting ongoing testing overheads.

Each of these advanced services entail serious testing implications for Nationwide, particularly the real-time services such as the cash deposit service which link directly to the cardholder's account. Any potential fault scenarios will have an impact on customer service levels. Level Four's software tests every aspect of the customer's interaction with the ATM, and every aspect of the ATM's interaction with the bank's core banking systems, for complete end-to-end security.

Kevin Scott-Evans, self service banking controller, at Nationwide comments, "The 'FAST Till' ATMs introduce a new level of physical interaction with the customer, therefore it's imperative these services are one hundred per cent secure. Level Four's approach using a virtual testing environment enables us to test different case scenarios, some of which would be next to impossible to emulate in reality. Working closely with such a forward-thinking technology company helps us to remain at the forefront of retail banking services in the UK."

Martin Macmillan, CEO, Level Four Software adds, "Nationwide is leading the way in the UK for the introduction of multi-function ATMs. Level Four's ATM Channel Development Suite is architected in a way that means we are able to adapt to market developments very quickly. In turn, allowing Nationwide to respond to new technological challenges and implement hardware and software changes across their country-wide ATM network, with speed and confidence."

If you are interested in learning more about Level Four's Bunch Note Acceptor and Cheque Processing Module, or for information on existing products within the ATM Channel Development Suite, please visit the updated Level Four website at www.levelfour.com.

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Nationwide is one of the UK's leading financial services providers. It has 10 million members and over £85 billion in assets.

Nationwide offers a range of products and services designed to meet members' financial needs and maintains an extensive branch network. This is complemented by services available by phone, post, internet using a PC or MAC, WAP phones, PocketPC PDAs and TV internet banking. Nationwide was the first to launch an internet banking service in the UK, first to have an internet banking service available through a TV and offered Europe's first PocketPC PDA mobile banking service.

Nationwide is a mutually owned organisation. This means it belongs to its members and is run for their benefit. It's this mutual status that makes Nationwide different to the banks. Nationwide offers genuine long-term good value, and gives members easy access to a wide range of products and services. For more details, visit the Web site at: www.nationwide.co.uk.

About Level Four

Level Four’s integrated BRIDGE suite of open ATM software products have been developed to address the needs of ATM deployers seeking to maximise their investment in the ATM channel. BRIDGE is targeted at banks and ATM deployers who are running, or seeking to run, a modern ATM network based on the industry-wide CEN/XFS open standard. As a true holistic offering, BRIDGE recognises the needs of ATM deployers in the areas of installation, testing and monitoring as well as run-time ATM software.

Since 1995, Level Four has built an impressive global customer base of banks and payments processors including, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, National Bank of Dubai, Rabobank, LINK and Standard Bank of South Africa. Headquartered in Dunfermline, Scotland, Level Four also has offices in Dubai and Charlotte NC.


For further information contact:

Martin Macmillan
Level Four Software Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 1383 720 118

E-mail: martin@levelfour.com

Hotwire PR
Nicola Truman / Alexia Ward
+44 (0) 20 7608 2500
E-mail: levelfour@hotwirepr.com