[LINK] not having a mobile phone

[Danny Yee]

Ivan Trundle wrote:
> 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?

This is with uBank.  The online process claims they use "public
databases" to do the verification and will contact the applicant if
that fails.  People without mobile phones have to ring the bank and
can't sign up online.

> 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?
 
I was being hyperbolic.  But while I doubt the legal system will ever
require possession of a mobile phone, I forsee it being assumed in
more and more other contexts.

Danny.
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