NETS to continue sales and support for NETS FlashPay Card – following the reversal of SimplyGo migration

After strong feedback from the public with regards to the migration to SimplyGo which inadvertently caused several features to be omitted, Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) has resumed the sales and support for NETS FlashPay Card (utilising the Ez-Link system), in tandem with LTA’s announcement to allow EZ-Link cards and FlashPay cards to work alongside the SimplyGo system (utilised by the NETS Prepaid Card) – till further notice.

Why the uproar

The largest concern brought up by travellers seems to be the inability to view transport fares and card balances at MRT gantries and card readers on buses. This largely boils down to the shift of interface – from Card-Based Ticketing (CBT)having physical GTMs as an option to Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) where it is smartphone-only.

Users will have to refer to the app on their smartphones to track their expenses. Several other differences in functionality include top-up methods, card refund eligibility and control over the card. Drivers using their FlashPay cards for their ERP payments might also frown at the removal of the said feature from the SimplyGo cards.

NETS FlashPay Card returns

Consumers currently holding onto a NETS Prepaid Card, purchased between 9 and 22 January 2024, will be able to to swap their cards to a NETS FlashPay Card. NETS is currently working closely with LTA to finalise the exchange process – stay tuned for an update.

NETS Prepaid Card vs NETS FlashPay

[Photo courtesy from https://www.customcards.com.sg/nets-prepaid-card-vs-nets-flashpay/ ]

The most noticeable visual difference is the NETS FlashPay logo at the bottom right corner of the card face, or the back of the card.

Availability and Pricing

At the time of this article, all card variations mentioned will be available. NETS Prepaid Card operates under an account-based ticketing system which can be used for transit and retail.

NETS FlashPay is still accepted at over 130,000 NETS acceptance points, and can be purchased at SimplyGo Ticket Offices, convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Cheers, Buzz, NETS Customer Service Centre and Lazada and Shopee online channels.