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LTA launches public education
programme on new CEPAS-compliant card ahead of launch in December
2008 |
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The Land Transport Authority’s (LTA)
next-generation e-payment system for public transit, Symphony for
e-Payment (SeP), is ready for implementation. |
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A trial to test the system was held from
29 August to 28 October 2008. The trial, which involved some 5,000
commuters, generated 1.7 million transactions and has confirmed that
the system is ready for revenue service. |
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Developed in-house by the LTA, SeP is
built on the Singapore Standard for Contactless ePurse Application (CEPAS)
which allows any smart card that complies with the standard to be
used with the system and in a wide variety of payment applications. |
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With SeP, commuters will be able to use
cards issued by any card issuer for transit purposes as long as the
card complies with the CEPAS standard and includes the transit
application. Commuters can eventually use CEPAS-compliant cards for
Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) payments in vehicles fitted with the
new generation In-vehicle Unit (IU), Electronic Parking System (EPS)
carparks and other electronic payment systems that support the CEPAS
standard. |
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Initially, EZ-Link will offer its CEPAS-compliant
cards. As more card issuers enter the market, commuters will have
more choices and convenience. |
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Holders of the current ez-link card will
get new CEPAS-compliant cards in a free one-for-one card replacement
exercise which will start in January 2009. Details of the exercise
will be announced in early January 2009. EZ-Link card holders will
have ample time and avenues to replace their cards. |
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Meanwhile, EZ-Link will start selling
its new ez-link CEPAS-compliant card from late December 2 008 to
commuters who need to purchase an ez-link card. The card costs $15
(i.e. card cost of $5 and a $10 stored value) and can be purchased
from all TransitLink Ticket Offices. |
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Public Education Programme on
Features of New Card |
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Unlike the existing ez-link card, the
new CEPAS-compliant ez-link card will not have requirement for a
travel deposit. Commuters will have full use of the stored value of
the card for transit and non-transit purposes. |
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To ensure commuters are familiar with
the no-deposit feature and use of the CEPAS-compliant card, LTA will
launch a public education programme for commuters from today. |
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Posters highlighting the no-deposit
feature of the new card will be put up at MRT stations and bus
interchanges/stops as well as on trains and buses. These posters
also remind commuters to ensure that they have sufficient value in
their cards to complete their journey before entering the transit
system, and to top-up their cards when the balance is low (i.e. less
than $5) as there is no travel deposit to tap on. |
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When SeP is launched this December 2008,
the new system and the existing Enhanced Integrated Farecard System
(EIFS) will run concurrently to allow commuters ample time to
replace their cards. |
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Besides the public education posters,
commuters may also visit www.lta.gov.sg to learn more about SeP and
the new CEPAS-compliant card. |
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Enclosures: |
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Annex 1: Features of the CEPAS-compliant
card |
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Annex 2: Do’s when using the CEPAS-compliant
card for transit |
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Annex 3: New ez-link CEPAS-compliant
card |
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Source:
www.lta.gov.sg News Release 2
Dec 2008 |
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FrontPage Edition: Tue 2 Dec 2008
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