Beep Card announced on Facebook that it will temporarily remove Stored Value Updaters (SVUs) and Express Renewal Devices (ERDs) in all train stations.
The service provider cited the reliance on outdated 3G connectivity as the reason for phasing out the machines. The service will be temporarily unavailable while the company upgrades the system to 5G.
In the meantime, Beep Card passengers can use the mobile app to check their balances or instantly retrieve load transactions by tapping their card on their NFC-enabled smartphone.
However, many passengers expressed their dismay in the Facebook post’s comments section. Many of them cited that their phones are not NFC-enabled.
NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a feature limited to midrange and high-end phones, and a few budget phones.
As an alternative, Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) and Point of Sale Tellers are still available on all stations.