Verizon Wireless and Firethorn announced today that customers of major financial institutions, including Wachovia, SunTrust, FirstBank, and BancorpSouth, now have access to their accounts in the palms of their hands.

With Verizon Wireless' mobile banking offering powered by Firethorn, customers can now access and manage their financial relationships while on-the-go for a seamless, real-time and secure user experience, including checking bank account balances, transferring funds between accounts within the same bank, and reviewing and paying bills for those bills already set up through the financial institution’s online account service.

The Firethorn application is secure and utilizes both PIN and device lock-out capabilities, which are in addition to the security that is already incorporated by the financial institution. As another layer of security, customers will need to register with their financial institution’s online banking service in order to use mobile banking.

Financial institutions that have joined the Firethorn network include: Wachovia, SunTrust Bank, Regions Financial, BancorpSouth, Synovus, FirstBank, Arvest Bank, and America First Credit Union.

The Firethorn application is currently available on several phones from Verizon Wireless, including the Chocolate and enV by LG, LG VX8700, LG VX8600, LG VX9400, and the Samsung SCH-a950. The companies expect to make the application available on additional devices in the coming months. Verizon Wireless customers can find the Firethorn application in the Get Going or Tools on the Go virtual shopping aisle of the Get It Now® virtual store by clicking on "Get New App" and then "Business/Tools".

The mobile banking application is free, but application download, usage or megabyte charges may apply. Customers should check with their financial institution for availability and instructions on how to access their accounts through the mobile banking application.