Mobile app for EZ-Link card top-ups launched

An interesting tool for public transport commuter, and NFC smartphone. I will definitely give it a trial...

Mobile app for EZ-Link card top-ups launched

SINGAPORE — The public will get to top-up their EZ-Link cards using their NFC-capable phones with a new mobile application launched today (Dec 5).

The process is entirely cashless, and users will pay with their credit or debit cards.

Besides the top-up function, consumers can also check the balance of their EZ-Link cards, and view transaction history for up to the last 30 transactions.

Mr Nicholas Lee, chief executive officer of EZ-Link said: “EZ-Link is excited to achieve this global-first milestone in the rapidly developing field of NFC (near field communication).

“This is an accomplishment we are proud of, as a home grown company with a strong commitment to transform Singapore into a fully cashless society. Seeing consumers’ shift to mobile services, we have made it possible for them to top up their EZ-Link cards using their NFC handsets.”

The app is currently supported only on Android phones with NFC capabilities.

A fee of S$0.30 is applicable for every successful top-up transaction. CHANNEL NEWSASIA
http://www.todayonline.com/tech/mobile-a...s-launched

Does it means that I can top up my EZ-link card using an app in my NFC enable mobile phone, instead of topping up at those ticketing machine? If yes, then I will give it a miss as I view the $0.30 per top-up as "excessive" and since I can easily do the topping at any MRT station FOC. I was hoping one day we can pay for our train/bus rides using our mobile phone.

EZ LINK is slow in implementation. Like way behind HK Octopus card in rollout.

And LTA spent a lot to get EZ link to roll out initially. Under Sg 'fav' ex-minister.

(06-12-2013, 09:47 AM)Ben Wrote: Does it means that I can top up my EZ-link card using an app in my NFC enable mobile phone, instead of topping up at those ticketing machine? If yes, then I will give it a miss as I view the $0.30 per top-up as "excessive" and since I can easily do the topping at any MRT station FOC. I was hoping one day we can pay for our train/bus rides using our mobile phone.

Yes. But the chief advantage is that you can review your last 30 transactions.
You can add your kids' cards too and monitor their usage and traveling

(06-12-2013, 10:43 AM)yeokiwi Wrote:

(06-12-2013, 09:47 AM)Ben Wrote: Does it means that I can top up my EZ-link card using an app in my NFC enable mobile phone, instead of topping up at those ticketing machine? If yes, then I will give it a miss as I view the $0.30 per top-up as "excessive" and since I can easily do the topping at any MRT station FOC. I was hoping one day we can pay for our train/bus rides using our mobile phone.

Yes. But the chief advantage is that you can review your last 30 transactions.
You can add your kids' cards too and monitor their usage and traveling

use GIRO auto top-up. save time and effort.

(06-12-2013, 10:43 AM)yeokiwi Wrote:

(06-12-2013, 09:47 AM)Ben Wrote: Does it means that I can top up my EZ-link card using an app in my NFC enable mobile phone, instead of topping up at those ticketing machine? If yes, then I will give it a miss as I view the $0.30 per top-up as "excessive" and since I can easily do the topping at any MRT station FOC. I was hoping one day we can pay for our train/bus rides using our mobile phone.

Yes. But the chief advantage is that you can review your last 30 transactions.
You can add your kids' cards too and monitor their usage and traveling

Tried, and seems quite user-friendly.

I think we need to frame the usefulness of this app in a proper context. Say if I am now at MRT, bus interchange or near my bank ATM, of course I will top up using these facilities since it is FOC. But say I am now at a bus stop along a road with no top up machines in sight and my Ezlink value is low, then this app will come in useful.

I take the buses to and from work and hardly gets near MRT station or bus interchange in a work week and there are times when I had to pay cash (costs more) for my trips. My solution is to have 2 Ezlink cards so that when one card's value is low, I get my family members (who take trains) to top up for me so that I can continue using the other one. Auto GIRO top up is also not FOC IIRC.

For now, my verdict is I don't need this app.