MONILINK to launch mobile banking for Alliance & Leicester shortly
Now, this is wicked news.
Alliance & Leicester are going to launch mobile phone banking in the New Year. Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
So 15 million people bank online in the UK, right? That’s a pretty super figure. You know what though? Online banking — banking via your home computer web browser doesn’t quite cut it for me.
It’s just not good enough. I want mobile access to my account.
I don’t want to sod about going through lots of menus and getting a computer to read out my bank balance, (“press 1 to find out how much money you STILL don’t have”) because the sequential nature of it really winds me up.
I like to *SEE*. I’d like to click. I’d like the online banking experience *ON* my mobile.
So bring it on. I’ve got an A&L account so I’ll definitely be trying this out.
It’s MONILINK who’re behind it. Top work.
It’s the start of something beautiful 😉
Here’s how it works:
Customers that register for the service will have on demand access to mini statements and balance enquiries from their mobile phone using MONILINK’s secure application. The service is protected by a personal passcode and any information displayed is automatically deleted.
No personal details are stored on the handset itself, ensuring that information remains secure, even if the handset is lost or stolen.
Furthermore, customers with a pre-pay mobile phone account will also soon be able to top-up their mobile directly from their Alliance & Leicester bank account.
And if you’re wondering what A&L think of it:
Ian Tandy, Director of eCommerce at Alliance & Leicester said: “The mobile phone is already a central tool in people’s every day lives – we increasingly lead digital lifestyles with mobiles acting as the hub. Accessing banking details via a mobile phone is the next natural step, and one we think our current account customers will embrace.
The service, which sits as an extension of our service range, will initially allow them to check their balance and recent transactions, as well as the ability to top-up pre-pay mobile phone accounts. We expect new services to be added in the future.”
I’m hoping to see if I can get a Q&A interview with MONILINK’s CEO, Alastair Lukles. Here’s what he commented:
” Almost everyone in Britain today carries a mobile phone, making it the most suitable device for people to keep in touch with their finances. With electronic payments now the norm, MONILINK will ultimately help Alliance & Leicester customers to manage their finances better.”
“Using a mobile phone for banking will enable customers to have an even better handle on their finances, with up to the minute detail, accessed through a secure channel. The security built into this technology ensures that all details are automatically deleted once read, giving customers peace of mind and confidence in the service.”
Well I’m a big fan of the concept. It’s the next logical progression after online banking and I think a ton of people will use it.
By the way, have you ever wondered how banking technology developed? Have a look at this timeline — found it on the bottom of the MONILINK press release. Wicked!
* 1967 – The first ATM in the UK is launched in Enfield Town
* 2006 – 59,000 ATMs in the UK (including free and free charging ATMs)
* £66.5 billion has so far been withdrawn from ATMs in 2006
* £313 million is withdrawn on average on a daily basis – the average withdrawal is £40
I took £40 out yesterday actually…
* 1997 – the first internet banking service launched
* 2006 – 15 million UK adults now bank online
