MPS, Fifth Third Debut BillPayer 2000 Automated Payment Product

CINCINNATI, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifth Third Bank and Midwest Payment Systems are pleased to bring personal and corporate finance management to a new level of convenience with BillPayer 2000(SM).

BillPayer 2000 is an automated payment service designed for use by corporations and their individual customers. Companies which render monthly invoices can offer this automated payment option to customers as an alternative to physically mailing in payments. The service gives customers a cheaper, easier way to pay regular monthly bills -- and it's flexible, too. Unlike other automatic payment methods, BillPayer 2000 gives customers the ability to easily control their payment amounts each and every month.

"BillPayer 2000 was developed by Midwest Payment Systems, Fifth Third's data processing subsidiary," reports George W. Landry, Executive Vice President, Fifth Third Bancorp. "Midwest Payment Systems has been providing credit card payment processing and point of sale services to merchants for over 20 years. BillPayer 2000 is a natural extension of this service. It offers companies the ability to better manage their cash flow, and it gives their customers hassle free, low cost payment solutions. With BillPayer 2000, there are no checks to write, no envelopes to mail, and no forgotten payments. Customers' payments are initiated electronically exactly as the customer instructs. The customer is always in control."

Fifth Third currently provides corporate BillPayer 2000 services for over 30,000 customers of Warner Cable, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Fifth Third Bank, Cinergy and its four affiliates: PSI Energy, Union Light Heat & Power, Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. and Lawrenceburg Gas, and South Central Power in Columbus. Customers of these companies can get more information on BillPayer 2000 by phoning 513-744-7744 or 800-991-7771.

BillPayer 2000 also allows Fifth Third loan and lease customers to transfer payment amounts from checking accounts at any bank, savings & loan or credit union to make Fifth Third Bank loan and lease payments. Customers can sign up for BillPayer 2000 at the time of their loan or lease approval.

Founded in 1858, Fifth Third Bank is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bank is one of 11 affiliates of Fifth Third Bancorp, which has $20.1 billion in assets, 416 full-service Banking Centers including 95 Bank Mart(R) locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 746 Jeanie(R) ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Naples, Florida. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Retail, Commercial, Trust & Investment Services and Midwest Payment Systems, the Bank's data processing subsidiary. Bancorp investor information can be accessed on the Internet at www.53.com. The company's common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol: FITB. SOURCE Fifth Third Bancorp

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/CONTACT: Roberta R. Jennings of Fifth Third Bank, 513-579-4153/

(FITB)

CO: Fifth Third Bancorp ST: Ohio IN: FIN SU: PDT 

TC -- CLM003 -- 5593 12/09/96 08:48 EST http://www.prnewswire.com