[LINK] not having a mobile phone

[Ivan Trundle]

On 11/10/2009, at 5:59 PM, Danny Yee wrote:

> I recently booked a flight with Jetstar, and found that a mobile phone
> number was an obligatory part of the process.  (I used my partner's.)
>
> Now I try to sign up online for a bank account and find that "mobile
> number" is an obligatory field there as well.  Since this is for ID
> verification, I can't really use someone else's.

I'm not sure that the two are related. The first is most likely so  
that they can contact you up until the minute the plane has been  
cancelled, rather than call your home number.

I'd be surprised if you cannot open a bank account at all without a  
mobile phone - all that they seek is 100 points of identification  
(over the counter or otherwise). On the other hand, if the online  
process allows you to create a bank account (with or without a mobile  
phone), I'd be very surprised: how can they verify that you're not a  
dog?

There must be at least 2 people in Australia without a mobile phone  
(over the age of 4).

But on the serious side, you can't open a bank account without a  
permanent address, either - does this mean that not having a permanent  
address will be a criminal offence in 20 or 30 years?

iT