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Hang on to your passbooks-banking is going wireless. FromCalifornia to New York, several banks nationwide are testing orhave implemented programs enabling entrepreneurs to access theiraccounts via mobile phones and personal digital assistants."This is a core part of the services banks offer in Europe andAsia, but large banks in the United States are just beginning tobuild this service out," says Alistair Rennie of Toronto-based724 Solutions, one of the primary companies helping U.S. banks rollout the new technology.

"The next phase of real growth and exciting developments[in banking] is wireless," affirms Michael Szwajkowski ofPurchase, New York-based Claritybank.com. This newly establishedInternet bank has incorporated wireless banking as a core featuresince its inception.

In addition to simply offering access to accounts, wirelessbanking allows entrepreneurs to pay bills online and wire money,making the service especially suited to time-pressed customers."These customers have a high desire for convenience and wantonline banking wherever they are," says Charles Piermarini ofChicago-based Harris Bank, which is also testing a mobile-phoneprogram.