Cell phone users open to on-the-go banking

ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 13 (UPI) -- Americans say they are becoming more comfortable with making purchases and banking transactions using their cellular phones, a U.S. poll found.

A Harris Interactive poll found 16 percent of mobile phone subscribers use mobile banking services. Of them, 60 percent said they use the cellular services at least once a week.

The poll also found that 35 percent of respondents said they are open to checking bank account balances and transferring funds via their mobile phones and other digital devices. More than a third of respondents also said they would like to receive text message alerts from their banks.

One in five respondents said they would like to someday use their cellular phone like a "mobile wallet," where charges would be billed to their cellular account. Ten percent of respondents said they would consider using their cellular phones to make wire transfers and stock trades.

"Today's mobile devices are the springboard for a whole raft of services, with huge pent-up demand for mobile commerce capabilities," said Joseph Porus, vice president of Harris Interactive.

The poll was conducted in December 2007 among 1,072 U.S. adults ages 18 and over. No margin of error was reported.