Text 5006, 52 rader
Skriven 2010-02-17 09:47:14 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
   Kommentar till text 5004 av Peter Knapper (3:772/1.0)
Ärende: Re: EU parliament blocks SWIFT deal
===========================================
Peter,
 
PK> Are you saying that the only online banking service you have, allows the
PK> Debitor to Direct Debit your account and you have no other options for
PK> online transactions??? If that is the situation then I find that totally
PK> outrageous.
 
And so would I if it were the case.
 
PK> We (meaning NZ) have had online banking services available for about 2
PK> decades now, ...
 
I think I've had it since 1984 or 1985, somewhere around 25 years give or take
a year. When I opened my first account in 1973 (which was greatly discouraged
by my father who believed in carrying all his funds in his pockets) I
immediately had ATM-access for cash and gas-stations. I think Belgium was one
of the firstones to offer such things not linked to a single bank but across a
network. This country had a uniform numbering scheme for all financial
institutions since the 60-ies.
 
PK> Also, here it is mandatory that a Direct Debit transaction can be
PK> reversed up to 7 days AFTER it has been made, so there is always a way
PK> for the user to retain control of their money.
 
Same here, I think I can undo it in 2 months.
 
PK> I wonder if in your case a user "self service" option is available hidden
PK> under another menu on your banks site?
 
I like to think that our homebanking system is vastly superior than anything
anywhere around. I can generate loan applications, make direct deposits to any
bankaccount anywhere in the world (which in the case of the US does not work
all that well, requires manual intervention at the receiving bank ... of
course), I have the full stock-exchange option ... buy shares from let's say
Boeing? It takes me a second as an add-on to the bank-account, credit cards are
linked, insurance policies ... basically any kind of thinkable financial
transaction which does not require cash. I usually have a small amount of cash
in the pocket but other than bying me a beer in my local watering hole I hardly
use it.
 
There are advantages but now it also is sooooo easy to track what people spend
where.
 
If you thought, Peter, we're backward here ... hmmm ... the debitcard,
electronic services and many of those gizmos were actually invented here.
 
Take care,
 
 \%/@rd

--- D'Bridge 3.49
 * Origin: Many Glacier -- "The Lord of the Pings" (2:292/854)