Mexico's Condusef urges phone line registration; BBVA assures mobile banking continuity

Óscar Rosado, president of Mexico's National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Financial Users (Condusef), urged consumers to register their telephone lines promptly. This measure is crucial to prevent complications with mobile banking applications and other financial services that rely on mobile phones for authentication. Rosado acknowledged that the registration mandate falls outside Condusef's direct authority but emphasized its importance, given the increasing role of mobile phones in financial transactions.

Rosado warned that financial institutions, including popular financial societies (Sofipos) and other intermediaries, might encounter problems with their applications if users have not registered their lines. He advised against delaying the process, anticipating potential system overloads similar to those seen during the annual tax filing period. While Rosado is unaware if authorities will extend the deadline, he stressed that the decision rests with other government bodies.

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the phone celular has become the new tool for carrying out financial operations.

Conversely, Mauricio Pallares, Director of Communication and Corporate Identity at BBVA Mexico, assured customers that the bank's mobile application would remain accessible even without a registered phone line, as long as users maintain internet connectivity. However, he cautioned that if a line loses mobile data due to non-registration, the app would only be usable via WiFi. This limitation would also affect other internet-dependent services like messaging apps, navigation, and social media.

Pallares clarified that BBVA's core banking transactions occur within the app itself and do not depend on SMS messages for authentication. Therefore, customers with continued internet access can conduct operations without interruption, even if their line is unregistered. Nevertheless, certain administrative procedures, such as initial app setup for new clients or device changes, do require phone calls or SMS. In these specific cases, an unregistered line that cannot receive calls or messages would prevent users from completing these tasks.

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customers of the institution will be able to continue using the bank's mobile application even if they do not register their telephone line, as long as they maintain internet access.