RBS and NatWest Respond to HSBC by Adding FREE WiFi to their UK Banks

Banking giants RBS and NatWest have confirmed that all of their customers will be able to access a free wireless Internet (wifi) service, which is already active in over 800 of the bank’s branches across the United Kingdom, by the end of the summer 2014 when almost 1,200 additional branches will have free WiFi installed.

The announcement comes only a day after HSBC made a similar announcement (here), covering over 650 of its branches across the country. RBS and NatWest said that over the next three years the bank is investing £750m to improve the way it serves customers, which includes investment in digital services and refurbishment of over 680 branches.

Les Matheson, Personal and Business Banking CEO, said:

“Our customers want options, it’s important we make our banking services as easy to access as possible. We’re investing in our branches to make them easy places for customers to have helpful conversations with our staff and in our digital services to allow our customers to quickly deal with their everyday banking needs on the move.”

Apparently branches with ‘digizones’ also allow access to iPads for customers to test Online Banking with the help of staff and allow staff to demonstrate the benefits of Mobile Banking.

NOTE: The free WiFi access will be available in the RBS branches in England and Wales – and NatWest branches in Scotland – which are to be re-branded as Williams & Glyn and sold by RBS by the end of 2017.