Ibm Joins Banks In Home Network

International Business Machines Corp. and 18 banks today will unveil plans for a home-banking network designed to compete with rival services by Microsoft Corp., Intuit Co. and other firms.

NationsBank Corp., KeyCorp, Banc One Corp. and other banks will offer customers account information, bill-paying and other services on the new system, which will be called Integrion, the companies said. The banks will reach their customers by setting up their own online home page, tied into a worldwide network operated by IBM.

The service comes as banks try to counter software firms that envision luring away their customers with banking services that aren’t aligned with any bank. Microsoft and Intuit already offer personal-finance software that is used by dozens of banks to allow depositors to bank from home. Microsoft executives have long talked about the potential for circumventing banks altogether to offer banking services to millions of Americans who already use their software.