1. Banks develop more services for mobile market
September, 22 2012 09:35:47
HCM CITY — Banks in Viet Nam are vying with each other to diversify their internet banking
services in order to take advantage of people's increasing reliance on mobile electronic devices.
According to data collected in a survey on internet usage in Viet Nam made in 2011 by Cimigo
Viet Nam, which specialises in marketing and brand research, 60 per cent of the 5,800 people
polled used mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablet PCs to connect to the Internet.
The survey says the number of people using PCs for accessing the internet dropped from 84 per
cent in 2010 to 81 per cent in 2011 while the percentage of people using mobile electronic
devices more than doubled from 27 per cent in 2010 to 60 per cent in 2011.
The rapid increase in the number of people using mobile electronic devices has created big
opportunities for services related to advertising, marketing and especially e-banking to develop
strongly in the domestic market.
Cimigo Viet Nam's study also points out that mobile transactions are far more convenient than
the alternative, as it takes only one or two minutes for a mobile phone user to complete a bank
transaction.
So many commercial banks are seeking to develop new e-banking services in order to take
advantage of customer demand for mobile transactions.
The Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) seems to have joined this movement at the right time. Since
late May, the bank has offered several new e-banking services under the "ACB Online-Mobile
Service" name.
These utilities will help customers make transactions any time, anywhere on their portable
devices.
ACB Online is compatible with most of the mobile phones and tablet PCs currently on the
market. The new service offers customers the ability to check their balance as well as obtain
other information such as interest rates, fees, and securities. Customers can also transfer money
both inside and outside ACB Bank by credit card, ID card or passport, recharge prepaid mobile
phones and pay post-paid mobile phone bills.
Many other commercial banks have also launched internet banking services similar to the ABC
Online-Mobile Service to help customers easily make transactions via mobile electronic devices.
The Military Joint Stock Commercial Bank offers the eMB service, Orient Joint Stock
Commercial Bank has the OCB Online service, and Ocean Joint Stock Commercial Bank
features the Easy Online Banking service.

2. Meanwhile, Nam A Joint Stock Commercial Bank facilitates customers' transactions with the
Dai A Bank Online service, and the Dong A Joint Stock Commercial Bank has launched its own
Mobile Banking Service.
The HCM City Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank (HDBank) has also enriched its
internet banking service with utilities for corporate customers. Customers will find it easy to
make periodical/lot transfers into or out of the HDBank system as well as settle expenditures and
buy airplane tickets.
Furthermore, customers can settle electric bills (HCM City) or buy airplane tickets from agents.
All transactions are guaranteed under the automatic multi-level submission mode.
Accordingly, such transactions will undergo multiple checks before going through, ensuring
maximum safety for clients. These services are now free or discounted, as are many other
incentives offered by the banks. — VNS