Just a few short years ago debate swirled over which of the three primary mobile banking access modes – SMS (text messaging), mobile browser or downloadable application – would emerge as "the winner."

Many early mobile banking implementations focused only on one access mode, often a downloadable application for smartphone users. This limited approach prevented credit unions from capitalizing on the full potential of the mobile channel, as it narrowed not only the field of possible mobile banking users, but also the availability of features and functionality.

Today, it is widely acknowledged that different members want to access mobile financial services in different ways. In addition, emerging capabilities sometimes dictate the use of certain access modes – such as remote deposit capture, which can only be facilitated via a downloadable application. As a result, the majority of current mobile banking implementations support all three mobile access modes, and all three are likely to coexist for some time.