（一） 目前手机的功能越来越多。据悉，它们也可在互联网上做一些银行业务，如：付帐单，查余额等
Cellphone Banking Is Coming of Age
Last week, Citibank began a nationwide service allowing customers to do many online banking tasks on their cellphones. And cellphones may be the solution for a number of banking problems.
As cell carriers improve Internet data connection speeds, more banks are looking to mobile handsets as another way for customers to avoid ever talking to a bank employee.
Bank of America’s new free service, for example, allows customers who have cellphones with Internet access to check balances, pay bills and transfer money on their handsets. The bank already has the largest number of online users — over 21 million, according to the Internet research firm ComScore Networks — and the company sees the mobile option as an extension of its Internet banking.
Bank of America’s approach means that practically any cellphone with Web access can use the service. It does not matter what carrier customers use. Furthermore, users do not have to go through the awkward step of downloading a special software program to their phones to use online banking.
Citibank, however, decided to introduce a software program specifically designed to use its free Citi Mobile banking service. Citibank customers sign up for Citi Mobile the old-fashioned way: using a computer connected to the Web, by calling or by visiting a Citibank branch. Customers supply their cell number, carrier name and model of cellphone. |
