Does a Ticket Inspectors card reader work with Contactless cards on Greater Anglia?

[najaB]

If the card was defective, then it would not be valid for travel, as it would not be possible to be touched in or out. If that was the case, then the PF would be 100% valid.

I agree with you but, for the sake of argument, could it be possible that a failing card would sometimes work and sometimes not? Or work with some readers and not others?

 

[cjmillsnun]

I agree with you but, for the sake of argument, could it be possible that a failing card would sometimes work and sometimes not? Or work with some readers and not others?

Not really with the technology involved. It's well proven as proximity cards have been used for many years for security access purposes. They generally either work or they don't. Faulty readers are far more common.

 

[najaB]

Not really with the technology involved. It's well proven as proximity cards have been used for many years for security access purposes. They generally either work or they don't. Faulty readers are far more common.

I don't deny that the reader is more likely at fault, but is it necessary that the card's transition from the functional to non-functional state be atomic and irreversible? As you said, they generally either work or not.

 

[MikeWh]

I don't deny that the reader is more likely at fault, but is it necessary that the card's transition from the functional to non-functional state be atomic and irreversible? As you said, they generally either work or not.

I don't know, but I'm sure in this case the OP demonstrated that it had worked at touch in via the contactless dashboard and indeed it was shown to work at touch out as well. I'm still of the opinion that the wrong (MOVie) reader was used.

 

[najaB]

I don't know, but I'm sure in this case the OP demonstrated that it had worked at touch in via the contactless dashboard and indeed it was shown to work at touch out as well. I'm still of the opinion that the wrong (MOVie) reader was used.

Oh, I don't doubt that is the most likely explanation. Just throwing some ideas out there for purpose of discussion.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Certainly in my experience with Contactless cards on a gateline it is not uncommon for customers to have faulty cards, as opposed to faulty readers. If the card is damaged it can cause the chip to have issues (Generally if it's the reader the issue is resolved by using a different gate, and other cards also have issues) and not be read.

Most likely though, in this instance, it is the reader at fault, not the card, as mentioned by others.

 

[andrewkeith5]

Certainly in my experience with Contactless cards on a gateline it is not uncommon for customers to have faulty cards, as opposed to faulty readers. If the card is damaged it can cause the chip to have issues (Generally if it's the reader the issue is resolved by using a different gate, and other cards also have issues) and not be read.

Most likely though, in this instance, it is the reader at fault, not the card, as mentioned by others.

The more likely scenario is that the antenna inside the card (which usually runs around the perimeter about 5-7mm from the edge) has broken as the card has been bent - but this is fairly difficult to do unless you're trying.

 

[headshot119]

It's not that hard to break the antenna in a card depending where you keep them.

 

[TheEdge]

It's not that hard to break the antenna in a card depending where you keep them.

It really isn't. I've had contactless cards that got slightly bent in my pocket/wallet and while they looked fine and the chip worked fine the contactless antenna was broken.

 

[PermitToTravel]

I think Oyster cards are made of considerably tougher stuff than contactless payment cards; the former are a challenge to break, the latter start peeling all too quickly.