HSBC and on-line banking arm First Direct are to be the
first UK banks to offer customers the MoniLink mobile banking
platform.
MoniLink, developed by UK cash machine network Link in
partnership with IT services company Morse, allows customers to get
24-hour secure access to banking services from their mobile phone
on demand.
These services include mini-statements, balance enquiries and
mobile top-up facilities for pre-pay mobiles.
To use the service, consumers only need to download an
application onto their phone. As with online banking, once
registered and authenticated, customers have secure access to their
accounts wherever they are.
The service will complement First Direct's text messaging
banking service, which has been available since 1999.
This service offers weekly or monthly mini-statements plus
“event-based” texts, which can, for example, tell customers when
their salary arrives.
Richard Kimber, chief executive of first direct, said, “First
direct sees MoniLink as the natural next step for mobile phone
banking, offering a snapshot of your finances whenever you need it,
day or night.”