Bank of America’s Mobile Application for Your Cell Phone
Bank of America Canada offers mobile banking for those who already have Internet banking with the company. These customers can use their cell phones and smart phones to check their account balances as well as transfer funds and pay bills. There are text alerts when payments are due and received, updates on balances and limits and notices for irregular account activities.
Carriers and Phones
Secure mobile banking was first offered for cell phones in 2007. The new service is already available in Canada for customers of Bell Mobility, Fido, Rogers and Telus Mobility, as well as other major carriers.
The types of phones and devices able to access this information include Motorola, Nokia and LG as well as the Palm Treo, Motorola Q, iPhone and BlackBerry. The new Google Android phone system is also available to use for mobile banking.
How it Works
The application for your cell phone includes a text service called SafePass. This service works by sending a text to your phone that contains a pass code, which you can use to authorize any online transactions. The bank has developed other key security features to make sure all information stays encrypted between the phone and the bank.
Acquiring Mobile Banking
For all phones that have Internet access, simply visit http://www.bofa.mobi/ to use the application. When you are on the site, you can enter in your online banking ID and password to get into your account; once there, you can check your balances, transfer funds and pay your bills from your phone. You will also be able to find ATMs and banks without entering your address.
For BlackBerry, send a text message to 65579 and enter BlackBerry in the subject line to have the application sent to your phone. It is only available, however, for BlackBerry devices that have an OS of 4.2 or newer.
For the Android, you will need to click on the Market icon on your device, and then click on the search link. Search for Bank of America, and then click on Install to get the application for your device.
To get the application on your iPhone, send a text message to 65579 and enter iPhone in the subject line. This will send you a link to the Apple store so you can download the application.
Current Customer Requirement
Mobile banking will only be available to those persons who are current customers of Bank of America. If you are not a customer of Bank of America, you will need to open an account. To do so, simply visit any branch or fill out the information requested on the Bank of America website, which you can visit by using the web browser on your cell phone. Go to www.bankofamerica.com, where you can sign up for a new account and use the application for mobile banking.
