Ghana-based uniBank has
become the first bank to go live with ARC Mobile.
Swiss-based banking
software provider, Temenos, launched ARC Mobile last May to help
its customers take advantage of the rapidly-growing market for
mobile banking services.
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Since then, 12 banks
have selected the application with uniBank the first lender to
go-live.
According to Temenos,
uniBank is the first bank in Ghana to:
- Offer more extensive banking statements
via the mobile.
Customers are able to
view a minimum of ten transactions per statement, whereas
non-uniBank customers can largely view a maximum of just
five;
- Offer more sophisticated mobile channel
services such as m-commerce.
The bank can now
centralise access to mobile operators and directly interface with
its mobile money schemes to offer mobile top-up services direct
from a handset. In particular it has been possible to interface
with PayStore, a new service for customers which will simplify the
top up process for the mobile operator and generate transaction
income for the bank and other merchants, and
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By GlobalData- Offer high levels of flexibility and
breadth of channel functionality, with the ARC Mobile service
supporting over 80% of all handsets, compared with only half that
on the previous platforms.
uniBank is now able to
offer 32 different types of SMS alerts, compared to just four
previously.
Edward
Randolph-Koranteng, head of electronic / multi-channels and
Transaction Banking, at Unibank, said:
“The scope to widen
banking services via mobile handsets and broaden our customer base
in Ghana is huge and will go a long way in increasing access to
financial services in line with broader national
objectives.
“ARC Mobile is a key
differentiator for us, enabling us to move beyond simple SMS based
banking to be the first in Ghana to offer more sophisticated mobile
channel services such as m-commerce.”
Temenos’ local
integration partner TextGenesys Limited implemented the new ARC
Mobile platform.
In Ghana only 34% of
people currently have access to a bank account.
The growing availability
of mobile banking is expected to broaden access to financial
services and accelerate the development of financial inclusion in
the country.
Andreas Andreades, CEO,
Temenos, said:
“The uniBank project is
a good example of how mobile is a vital channel through which to
broaden financial services in the developing world.
“With ARC Mobile,
uniBank is the first Ghanaian bank to offer advanced mobile banking
services that will fundamentally change the way people bank in the
country; Temenos is proud to be providing the technology to make
this happen.”
uniBank was established
in 2001 and has since expanded its branch network to 13
outlets.
Last year, uniBank
distribution innovations included the launch of its first biometric
ATM; it also launched uniAlert (SMS alert for all transactions) and
uniWeb (internet banking).
Banking inclusion and
expanding financial services to the underbanked and unbanked is a
key strategic objective for uniBank.
The lack of a
comprehensive distribution network in Ghana is evidenced by the
country’s two-largest retail banks limited channel offerings: Ghana
Commercial Bank and Barclays have 157 and 92 branches respectively
and only 106 and 130 ATMs.
In July 2009,
African-based telecoms firm MTN launched its MobileMoney banking
service in Ghana. So far, almost 2m of MTN’s 9m subscribers have
signed up to the service.
