Thursday 9th November 2006
Customers of innovative bank first direct will soon be able to access their current account by video conferencing, the company has announced.
The bank is operating a pilot scheme, starting this week, to investigate the potential applications of mobile banking to build on its text-messaging service, which sends some 40 million messages each year.
Chris Pilling, chief executive of first direct, said: "First direct customers will be the first in Britain to try out video banking from their mobile."
"Were always keen to pioneer the future of money but want consumers to help us shape the future," he added.
For the pilot, a number of customers have been provided with mobile phones on the 3 network, which provides third-generation services such as video messaging with coverage for 89 per cent of the population.
Customer representatives from first direct will be on hand to take video calls in an attempt to determine under what circumstances the technology might be useful to its customers.
First direct offers its mobile bankers a free weekly text message update on the balance of their current account and the five most recent transactions.
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