BCA Launched BCA Mobile for BlackBerry

Bank Central Asia (BCA) has 9.7 million customers and now is starting to campaign its mobile service as it launched the BCA Mobile for BlackBerry. Although it has just been available only in one platform, but it might be a starting for BCA to develop this service for other platforms. BCA Mobile has been available on BlackBerry App World and can be downloaded for free starting from now.

The emerging of BCA Mobile application is considering the fact that many BCA electronic service users is increasing. According to Ina Suwandi, the head of Funding Development and Service Division of BCA, as cited from Investor, there is 2.3 million users using m-BCA facility (via SMS) and 2.4 million users using klikBCA (Internet banking).

This BCA Mobile has menu for m-BCA and klikBCA. You have to put 16 digit number of your ATM card (after registered in a BCA branch office) to use the m-BCA. I have tried to register with my account and still failed until now although I have already used the m-BCA service previously (through the function of my built-in SIM card on my mobile phone). I am little bit worried that the m-BCA will be similar to mobile application of Bank Mandiri or Permata that rather use SMS as the media to do transaction than use the data. However, I have to prove it first.

Unfortunately, the klikBCA function will only lead us to the klikBCA mobile web version via browser (launcher). Therefore, it has not made us available to do transaction via Internet banking using BCA Mobile application. It is too bad if this application does not consider the comfort of the internet banking users - who use token for every transaction. In general, I have to say that the BCA Mobile application has not succeeded to show the good function and the appearance (that is dominated with blue - the typical color of BCA), actually it is not appealing enough.

If I should compare, the mobile application of Commonwealth Bank Indonesia (available on BlackBerry and iOS) is still the best mobile banking application. Do you have any opinion about the mobile banking application?