First Direct pushes mobile banking

NEWS First Direct is planning to offer a mobile phone banking service. The service will use SMS (Short Message Service) and provide customers with information on overdrafts, credits and debits as well as mini statements. It will be free of charge and available to any mobile phone owner. First Direct is also launching a WAP Internet mobile phone banking service in July, to allow more sophisticated transactions to be carried out over handsets. The call centre and Internet arm of HSBC - the international bank that yesterday announced a global Internet-based venture with Merrill Lynch - said it sees mobile phone banking as an important step in enabling customers to handle their financial affairs remotely.