PALO ALTO, Calif.

HP Enterprise Services today announced that RTC Real-Time Center AG (RTC), a Switzerland-based financial services technology provider, has signed an applications and infrastructure services contract enabling RTC to focus on customer service and maintaining costs.

As part of the contract, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH will establish a Banking Service Center in Bern, Switzerland, to support RTC’s financial services customers. The Cantonal Bank of Bern (BEKB | BCBE), RTC’s primary shareholder and customer, will initially be the main bank served from this center.

“In today’s competitive financial services market, it is critical that banks have a flexible, secure and stable technology environment to deliver the innovative products our end customers need,” said Jean-Claude Nobili, chief executive officer, BEKB | BCBE. “This agreement represents a significant commitment to our relationship with HP, which will enable us to leverage HP’s financial services expertise and resources to help increase our market share.”

HP will provide applications development and management for IBIS3G, RTC’s core banking solution. The goal is to improve the application’s performance, quality and reliability while linking service levels to key business performance indicators. HP also will market IBIS3G within the financial services industry across Europe.

Through the Banking Service Center, HP will provide RTC’s current and new IBIS3G customers server management services, including applications hosting services.

“Banks need a reliable technology foundation to expand their capabilities and enhance competitive advantage while reducing risk,” said Mike Nefkens, senior vice president and general manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, HP Enterprise Services. “HP will use its operational excellence and scale to provide a data center plus a core banking solution to enable RTC and its customers to respond to current as well as future needs.”