New Ez-Link smart cards

[xtemujin]

New Ez-Link smart cards
By Tan Weizhen

EZ-LINK will start selling its new ez-link smart cards from Monday.
This new smart card has been touted to be much more than its predecessor. Other than being able to pay for bus and train rides with it, cardholders would be able to use it to pay for items bought from 7-Eleven and MacDonald's, as well as SMRT cab fares.

Eventually, the card can also be used for Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) and Electronic Parking System (EPS) carpark payments, said Ez-Link.

Passengers can start purchasing the new cards from Monday. The current ez-link cards will be phased out eventually.

From January 2009, all passengers would be able to exchange their old ez-link cards for the new ones, for free.

Currently, there are about six million ez-link cards in circulation.

As the market opens up to let four card operators enter to fight for a slice of the transit market, this launch marks Ez-Link's first foray, beating the rest to it.

The Singapore transit market is worth an estimated $1.5 billion a year, and competition is expected to intensify as the rest gradually enters the fray.

Two other smart card operators are expected to enter the market next year, after their cards have been tested and found to adhere to Singapore's new e-purse standard known as CEPAS (Conttactless e-Purse Application).

The new Ez-link card will be available at $15, with a $5 fixed cost and $10 in stored value.

It can store up to a maximum of $500 in value, as compared to $100 for the existing card.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_318515.html

 

[Wibblo]

issuers will huat lor...

 

[yamcake]

ya.. LL no choice..

hate this "capitalist" and democratic society..

 

[ArcticFox]

It can store up to a maximum of $500 in value, as compared to $100 for the existing card.

Ouch, imagine you lose it. But, no one's gonna put $500 in it.

 

[night86mare]

From January 2009, all passengers would be able to exchange their old ez-link cards for the new ones, for free.

any date limit on this exchange?

 

[Skiver]

I can see how the government will benefit, but how does the consumer benefit for 4 issuers of smart cards? Will the issuers be offering promotions and discount to get our business? I would like to see market place competition that benefits the consumer because when you get a certain xyz company's smartcard, you are signing up to fatten their coffers each and every time you use that card.

The acquirer/merchants/service provider should also offer benefits and discount for using smartcards as it will lower their cash handling cost. I would like to see the cost savings past on to consumers. The discount of changing of MRT to buses etc must be offered to attract commuters to use MRT as it does not cover all parts of the island. Imagine how many bus routes has been saved.

I think smartcard is a good improvement in terms of technology, but we already have it. The new businesses generated with 7-Eleven etc and extra deposit on the card is GREED. Just look at the numbers, there are 6 million existing cards in circulation. Each has at least $2 deposit. If there is an average of just $3 balance on each card, we effectively gave the issuer for the use of the card. That's a confirmed $12 million interest free loan to the issuer, another $18 million revolving loan. And for those not comfortable with $3 or less on the smartcard, even more $$ loaned to the issuer. Which bank loans you $30 million at no interest??? With $5 deposit, that number will jump to $48 million loan and because you can pay for goods etc, it's easy to have $100 on the card... which will make that a $630 million interest free loan?!!! DBS should get into this business to offset dig themselves out of their current situation. Then sell some special editions that consumers will have to pay the deposit anyway, put will not be using those cards. That's a default fraudulent loan by the issuer unless you chose to use the limited edition cards!

On top of that they can sell one side of the card as Ad space and generate more revenue which they cannot do on legal tender. Who is auditing the 4 issuers? How do I know my private information is not sold to marketing companies that knows how often I travel by MRT/buses, determine if I own a car by my pay ERP and parking paid via the card, buy "AHEM" from 7-Elevens, pay for expensive coffee at starbucks because my boss is too cheap to buy his own? I really dun see the benefits to me as a consumer versus the benefits to the acquirers and issuers. WHY DO WE NEED A NEW SMART CARD?!!!

 

[Wibblo]

any date limit on this exchange?

think we ENJOY its usage for 5 years too....

 

[night86mare]

I can see how the government will benefit, but how does the consumer benefit for 4 issuers of smart cards? Will the issuers be offering promotions and discount to get our business? I would like to see market place competition that benefits the consumer because when you get a certain xyz company's smartcard, you are signing up to fatten their coffers each and every time you use that card.

0.o

how does the government benefit?

this is what humans have asked for.. cashless transaction. now the problem is security. other than transport, i don't foresee any problem. if you're so worried about fattening someone else, even though your salary probably comes from someone else too.. (the irony) then use cash.

 

[flowerpot]

this technology existed long ago... i remember HK already has this system long long long time ago... dunno why now then they implement... anyway its good to have... but $5 is too ex... hopefully when other operators comes into the picture its cheaper...

 

[flowerpot]

0.o

how does the government benefit?

this is what humans have asked for.. cashless transaction. now the problem is security.

its very secure dun worry... very hard to crack... its from the same technology as our E-Passport... the tiny chip has many many build in sensors to check for potential hacks which it will shut itself off... plus world class encryption...

if its crack then u will be very very rich :bsmilie:

 

[night86mare]

its very secure dun worry... very hard to crack... its from the same technology as our E-Passport... the tiny chip has many many build in sensors to check for potential hacks which it will shut itself off... plus world class encryption...

if its crack then u will be very very rich :bsmilie:

ah, no, i meant in cases of loss

cards tend to have a higher possibility of disappearing as opposed to paper notes, don't ask me why :bsmilie:

 

[NiteWind]

this technology existed long ago... i remember HK already has this system long long long time ago... dunno why now then they implement... anyway its good to have... but $5 is too ex... hopefully when other operators comes into the picture its cheaper...

lolz.. wont one cause all the card is been sold by EZ-Link so be it 1000 operators also like that.

Why I know cause I'm working for one of the operator.

 

[flowerpot]

ah, no, i meant in cases of loss

cards tend to have a higher possibility of disappearing as opposed to paper notes, don't ask me why :bsmilie:

:think: good point... then its like losing ur wallet...maybe they should have a pin like NETS...
great now we have more cards which does the same thing... :bsmilie:

 

[theRBK]

lolz.. wont one cause all the card is been sold by EZ-Link so be it 1000 operators also like that.

Why I know cause I'm working for one of the operator.

even Nets' Combi Cashcard is from EZ-Link?... cause it is supposed to be compatible with the new EZ-Link system...

 

[aryanto]

what will happen to my visa citibank ezlink card?

 

[NiteWind]

even Nets' Combi Cashcard is from EZ-Link?... cause it is supposed to be compatible with the new EZ-Link system...

sorry net cashcard is net one... got nothing to do with ez-link. The new Ez-link card is call CEPAS 2 which Net will be using to replace their cashcard also.

 

[NiteWind]

what will happen to my visa citibank ezlink card?

the reader is backward comparable one so u can still use it and I believe citibank will replace it soon.

 

[NiteWind]

I can see how the government will benefit, but how does the consumer benefit for 4 issuers of smart cards? Will the issuers be offering promotions and discount to get our business? I would like to see market place competition that benefits the consumer because when you get a certain xyz company's smartcard, you are signing up to fatten their coffers each and every time you use that card.

The way you are understanding is totally wrong it will not work that way like the teleco industry.

The acquirer/merchants/service provider should also offer benefits and discount for using smartcards as it will lower their cash handling cost. I would like to see the cost savings past on to consumers. The discount of changing of MRT to buses etc must be offered to attract commuters to use MRT as it does not cover all parts of the island. Imagine how many bus routes has been saved.

there is no much diff from the existing ez-link card. what cost saving u talking about? beside what u mention is all totally wrong too.

I think smartcard is a good improvement in terms of technology, but we already have it. The new businesses generated with 7-Eleven etc and extra deposit on the card is GREED. Just look at the numbers, there are 6 million existing cards in circulation. Each has at least $2 deposit. If there is an average of just $3 balance on each card, we effectively gave the issuer for the use of the card. That's a confirmed $12 million interest free loan to the issuer, another $18 million revolving loan. And for those not comfortable with $3 or less on the smartcard, even more $$ loaned to the issuer. Which bank loans you $30 million at no interest??? With $5 deposit, that number will jump to $48 million loan and because you can pay for goods etc, it's easy to have $100 on the card... which will make that a $630 million interest free loan?!!! DBS should get into this business to offset dig themselves out of their current situation. Then sell some special editions that consumers will have to pay the deposit anyway, put will not be using those cards. That's a default fraudulent loan by the issuer unless you chose to use the limited edition cards!

On top of that they can sell one side of the card as Ad space and generate more revenue which they cannot do on legal tender. Who is auditing the 4 issuers? How do I know my private information is not sold to marketing companies that knows how often I travel by MRT/buses, determine if I own a car by my pay ERP and parking paid via the card, buy "AHEM" from 7-Elevens, pay for expensive coffee at starbucks because my boss is too cheap to buy his own? I really dun see the benefits to me as a consumer versus the benefits to the acquirers and issuers. WHY DO WE NEED A NEW SMART CARD?!!!

Again you are wrong again this is not a smart card. You are totally confuse and have no idea and also no operation knowledge behind all these. Your very statement can cause alot of misleading information.

 

[theRBK]

sorry net cashcard is net one... got nothing to do with ez-link. The new Ez-link card is call CEPAS 2 which Net will be using to replace their cashcard also.

so, is this a new CEPAS standard?... cause the Nets Combi Cashcard introed this year is supposed to be CEPAS compliant... if that's the case, will the forthcoming new Nets cashcard be from EZ-Link as well as you stated in post #12?...

 

[mojopy]

in short...
the next gen of EZ-link cards is just an improvement in technology from the ones that we are using now.

Now: Tap on public transport, make payments at some places like NTUC, 7-eleven, mac...

Future: Now + ERP, Carpark payment and many others

there are no personal information being encrypted into the card.
It is and will still be an ordinary EZ-link card we have been using all along, just that the functionality of the card has been expanded.