wrote:



I have two contactless payment cards, both issued by Barclays, one debit
and the other credit. When they started being accepted I tried using
these, but there were two problems:

They are awkward to use. I have to remove the card from my wallet, and
then put it back which is difficult to do if I have my hands full, as I
often do. On a few occasions I have touched out at a station with the
'wrong' card, in with Oyster and out with credit card for example.

I would rather use the debit card, but it seldom works on TfL readers, on
buses or at stations. The credit card works most of the time. This only
applies with TfL readers, both cards work, and usually read first time
contactlessly in shops etc.

Both of my contactless cards have expired and been replaced some time ago,
and the same problem applies with the new debit card. These two points
seem to suggest that there is nothing physically wrong with the card, and
the fact that the credit card usually reads suggests that there is nothing
wrong with the readers, except when they are displaying a red light.

I worked in I.T. for 25 years, but know nothing of how these systems work,
and how the payments are processed. Can anybody think of any possible
reason why a particular card would seldom read on TfL readers, but nearly
always read elsewhere? It doesn't seem to make any sense.

On Wednesday morning I became aware that Barclays have finally started
supporting Apple Pay. Since I have an iPhone I set up both cards for
Apple Pay. For both cards I received a code number from Barclays, and
when I entered this then received a message that each card was ready for
Apple Pay.

On Thursday I made four Journeys, all by bus. I first tried the debit
card on Apple Pay, and as usual, it was rejected. On one of the Buses the
reader wasn't working, and the driver waved me on. On two of them I used
Apple Pay with the credit card. On the last bus Apple Pay wouldn't work
at all, so I had to use the actual card. The iPhone shows a total of £3
for that day, which seems correct for two journeys paid for with Apple
Pay.

On Friday Apple Pay wouldn't work on a bus using either card. I haven't
attempted it again since.

I have tried using Apple Pay in shops, with both cards. While I have only
used them a couple of times I had no problems reading in either M+S Simply
Food, or the Co-Op.

Has anybody else tried to use Apple Pay with Barclays cards? Have you had
any similar problems. Does anybody else know why Barclays have only
started supporting Apple Pay when most other banks seem to have supporting
it for months?

Who should I contact about this, TfL? Barclays? Apple? I would prefer not
to contact them by telephone, my hearing is not very good now, and I find
it quite difficult to use the 'phone, especially for something long and
complicated like this; it would be much simpler to do it in writing, and
just copy and paste from this message.

There's a reason that I haven't tried topping up the Oyster online, but I
don't want to make this message any longer!

Thanks for any advice anybody can give.

I have similar issues it works well in some places e.g. M&S but fails
evey time at others which display the NFC pay sign e.g. Morrisons. Also
most places don't seem to accept it


Itb has some way to go to be useful (When it works it is much quicker
and easier than chip and pimn credit card)


--
Mark