JEDDAH, 16 July — The National Commercial Bank yesterday launched a WAP-enabled banking service which will help customers access its Alahli Mobile Banking through their cellular phones.
NCB General Manager Abdul Hadi Shaif attended the launch ceremony at the bank’s headquarters in downtown Jeddah together with Ayman Harbi, WAP project manager at Saudi Telecom Company.
The new service, described as the first of its kind in the Kingdom, enables customers to perform a series of transactions, including transfer of funds, checking account balances, payment of utility bills and many others, via mobile phones.
NCB said its Alahli Mobile Banking service would be free of charge. Clients will be able to access the service worldwide 20 hours a day.
To log on to the new service, a client requires an NCB account, a data-enabled SIM card provided by Saudi Telecom, a WAP-supported mobile phone and registration for the service.
The WAP-service adds to other online services offered by the bank which last week launched a new Shariah-compatible product enabling clients to get cash without resorting to conventional means. The bank also launched Alahli Brokerage allowing customers to trade US stocks on the Internet. NCB launched its Online Banking services in June last year.
