Touch ‘n Go Cards

Touch ‘n Go says that there is a 10 year expiry period because the components in the card fails and that the consumer need to replace it and they are charging RM10 for a new one. The new card will also last only for 10 years. I am suspecting that it is not that the card that is faulty but that they are intentionally deactivating it in their database and forcing the users to pay for a new one. But what really sounds suspicious are Touch 'n Go is an RFID card which goes for sale at about RM0.20 per pop for a 10,000 unit order. Malaysia has about 283,000 cards expiring for 2008, 2009 & 2010 alone. We definitely can source them for cheaper. Printing costs should also not exceed a few cents, so charging RM10 for a replacement is well overpriced.

You can check your card expiry here:

http://www.touchngo.com.my/checkCardExpiry.html

Technical Background Of RFID Cards:

http://www.smartcardsupply.com/Content/Cards/cards.htm

Below is the notice from the company.

Almost 283,000 Touch ‘n Go cardholders may experience difficulties when passing through a toll plaza if they do not renew their cards this year. Nearly 300,000 Touch ‘n Go cards will expire by this year with 17,000 of its customers already replacing their cards since January. Touch ‘n Go managing director Hasni Zarina Mohamed Khan said the cards, bought between 1997 and August 2000, had reached their 10-year lifespan. “If the card is not replaced, it may fail to function. This will cause inconvenience to the card users and others,” she said. She said to renew the card, customers would need to purchase a new card, costing RM10, which would last another 10 years. “This works out to RM1 per year, which is worth the cost, given all the convenience the customers get. “All they need to do is to surrender their old card and purchase a new one at any of our customer service centres,” Hasni said. Asked why there was a 10-year expiry period, she said it was because all electronic products were subject to wear and tear. “The Touch ‘n Go card is no exception. The electronic chip inside the card, which carries functions such as memory storage, radio transmitter and receiver, has a 10-year lifespan,” she said. “The chip will lose its efficiency and break down once it surpasses the lifespan, just like any other electronic appliances.” Card users can renew their cards at any Touch ‘n Go service hub or at the customer service centres along the highways listed on www.touchngo.com.my. “They can also check when their card expires at our website,” she said, adding that customers could also call its Careline Centre at 03-7628 5115. On their future plans, Hasni said they recently introduced Quik2Go, an Internet reload application. “Besides that, we are also expanding the Touch ‘n Go ‘Zing’ Auto Reload Card feature to debit cards as well as current and savings account holders,” she said.