What if joining a credit union meant getting free cell phone service for a year?
Safe 1 Credit Union in California just made that happen, and it’s exactly the kind of practical innovation that might actually get younger consumers to pay attention.
Safe 1—a Bakersfield-based credit union with $1.1 billion in assets and over 90,000 members—just launched a partnership with Members Mobile Inc. that does something pretty clever. It turns mobile phone service into both a member perk and a digital growth engine. Think of it as the financial services equivalent of those “free HBO for three months” offers, except you’re getting something people actually use every single day.
More Than Just Another Member Benefit
This isn’t Safe 1’s first rodeo with member benefits, but it might be their smartest play yet for reaching mobile-first consumers. Through Members Mobile’s nationwide 4G/5G service, existing Safe 1 members can save money on their phone bills. But here’s where it gets interesting: prospective members across California can join Safe 1 digitally through the Members Mobile app and score up to 12 months of free mobile service just for opening a qualifying checking account.
That’s not a typo. A full year of free cell service. In an era where the average family spends over $100 a month on wireless service, that’s the kind of offer that cuts through the noise.
The Tech Behind the Curtain
Making this work required some serious platform integration. Members Mobile built something called VIMplicity™ (yes, that’s VIM as in “Very Important Member”—we’ll allow it). The platform connects mobile service activation with digital account opening in a single, unified experience within the Members Mobile app.
The real secret sauce? Integration with MeridianLink™, which already powers digital account opening for more than 1,700 credit unions. That means Safe 1 didn’t need to build custom tech from scratch, and other credit unions using MeridianLink could theoretically replicate this approach without major technical gymnastics.
Here’s how it works: eligible subscribers download the Members Mobile app, open a Safe 1 checking account digitally, connect that account, and unlock mobile service benefits tied directly to their new credit union relationship. The whole journey happens in one place, which matters when you’re competing for the attention span of someone who probably has 47 browser tabs open right now.
Why This Makes Sense
“Safe 1 has a proud, long-standing tradition of providing quality financial products and services designed to make consumers’ lives a little easier and a lot better,” said David King, President/CEO of Safe 1 Credit Union. “Our partnership with Members Mobile continues this commitment, as it gives individuals and families the opportunity to save money on a modern-day necessity.”
King’s onto something. Cell phone service isn’t a luxury anymore—it’s as essential as electricity. And unlike free toasters or rate discounts that require mental math to appreciate, “free phone service for a year” is immediately understandable. It’s practical, relevant, and speaks directly to one of the largest recurring expenses in most households.
For Safe 1, which serves members across Kern, Tulare, Kings, and Fresno counties and wants to expand throughout California, this partnership creates two growth opportunities simultaneously. Existing members get real savings on something they’re already paying for, while prospective members get a compelling reason to choose Safe 1 over the dozen other financial institutions vying for their business.
What Members Get
Beyond the potential free year of service, Members Mobile offers some genuinely useful features. Members can choose from straightforward mobile plans with reliable nationwide 4G/5G coverage and get what the company calls “premium VIM Support” (that Very Important Member thing again). They also receive Cash ShareBacks™ paid directly into their Safe 1 account—basically getting money back for using a service they need anyway.
There’s also Data SafetyNet™, which lets members roll over unused data up to their plan amount each month. Anyone who’s ever paid for 10GB and used 3GB knows exactly why that matters. Members can bring their own compatible smartphone, keep their existing phone number, and activate everything digitally without the soul-crushing experience of visiting a retail store.
The Bigger Picture
“Credit unions are competing for attention in a digital-first world, and Safe 1 is using Members Mobile in a way that goes beyond traditional member benefits,” said Gary Brandt, Co-founder and Chairman of Members Mobile. “They are connecting mobile phone service to account growth, everyday savings, and a stronger Credit Union relationship.”
This is Members Mobile’s second credit union launch overall and their first in California, which positions them as a specialized player in the credit union space rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Their mission—bringing money and mobile together in a way that creates real value—sounds like typical corporate speak, but the Safe 1 implementation actually delivers on it.
“Safe 1’s launch is an important milestone because it shows how Members Mobile can support both credit union member retention and new member acquisition,” added Luis Jimenez-Tunon, Co-founder of Members Mobile. “Our VIMplicity™ platform integration with MeridianLink™ will allow a credit union to move beyond awareness and create a direct path from mobile interest to digital account opening.”
Why It Might Actually Work
Most member acquisition strategies rely on interest rates or vague promises about community values. Those matter, but they’re not exactly conversation starters. “Join our credit union and get free cell service for a year” is something people might actually tell their friends about. It’s tangible, immediately valuable, and solves a real pain point.
For credit unions watching from the sidelines, Safe 1’s approach offers a potential blueprint—especially if they’re already using MeridianLink for digital account opening. The combination of practical everyday savings, digital-first onboarding, and a benefit that resonates with mobile-native consumers could be exactly what credit unions need to grow beyond their traditional geographic and demographic boundaries.
Time will tell if free cell service becomes the credit union industry’s next big member acquisition play, but Safe 1 just made a pretty compelling case for why it should be.