First direct is claiming the title of the UK's leading text message bank after signing up its 300,000th mobile banking customer.
The telephone and Internet bank says that one in eight new customers cite the mobile phone banking service as their reason for choosing first direct.
It offers mobile phone alerts warning customers when they are close to their overdraft limit, notifying them when their salary has credited their account or advising them of large debits leaving the account. Customers can also see their balances via a regular mini-statement sent directly to their phone, and they can change the triggers for these alerts online or by telephone 24 hours a day.
First direct's chief executive, Alan Hughes, says: "One in three British adults own a mobile phone and first direct is committed to leading the way with mobile phone banking as part of the market leading service we offer. Text message banking is as easy as it gets."