Commercial feature

Credit card provider MBNA has launched a new account facility enabling customers to check their balance using a mobile phone.

A new system from the Bank of America subsidiary has been rolled out to all UK customers that allows the checking of balance, transaction and bill details through the use of short-code text number 83838.

The Mobile Banking Text service is the first of it’s kind in the UK and comes as demand for mobile banking continues to gather pace. Speaking about the new account feature, Ian Craig, Sales, Service and Operations executive for Bank of America Europe Card Services, said: “Our customers’ needs and expectations are changing — they want greater control and choice in managing their finances, and they want to do so in a way that fits their lifestyles.

“Newer technology, including mobile phone functionality, SMS, the Internet and voice recognition systems are transforming the way our customers expect us to interact with them. The Mobile Banking Text service is one of a number of exciting new improvements we will be making to our services.

“With this service, we are able to provide our customers with another way to bank that is simple, straightforward and puts their credit card information at their fingertips whenever they need it.”

Previously, only MBNA customers who own an iPhone or Blackberry were able to use their mobile phone to view account information, but with the introduction of the Mobile Banking Text service, all card-holders now have access. In total, over 5 million UK based account customers will be able to use the service that will be available on all cards provided by MBNA.

Using the text facility couldn’t be easier with card-holders having only to remember three simple instructions, text ‘Bal’ for balance info, ‘Trans’ for recent transactions or ‘Bill’ for payment details. As well as simplicity, MBNA have also made the service free, although standard network charges will still apply. For more information on the service and how to sign up, visit: http://www.mbna.co.uk/help-centre/using-your-card/mobile/mobile-banking-text-service.html.

The Mobile Banking Text service isn’t the only new addition to MBNA’s account services; they also recently introduced paperless statements for customers using their online portal. Customers can visit https://www.mbna.co.uk/paperless for more details. As well as this new environmentally friendly option, card-holders can now activate their new cards online as well as over the phone, which should prove popular with the modern ‘on-the-go’ consumer, more info at www.mbna.co.uk/activate.