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[VIC] Free Virtual Myki on Android Phones with Min. $10 Top up (Usually $6)

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PTV is rolling out Mobile Myki this Thursday the 28th of March. Minimum top up amount is $10, but it eliminates the cost of provisioning a card (usually $6 with a physical card), so you only pay for the credit.

Even if you don't plan to use Mobile Myki as a daily driver, this is a great deal if you have forgotten your Myki at home and need to purchase a temporary one.

Eligibility criteria for Mobile Myki from the PTV Website:

  • Your phone needs to have a near-field communication (NFC) chip. Go to Settings > Connected devices. If NFC is listed, you can turn this on.
  • Ensure you’re using Android operating system 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher. Go into Settings > System > About phone. You can then see what Android version you’re on.
  • Download Google PayTM and set up a payment card. You’ll need to be aged 16 or over to use Google PayTM.

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closed Comments

  • I have a yearly pass. Can i use it?

    • More info on 28th March onwards, but probably yes…

    • I believe you can buy a yearly pass on it, but I don't think you can transfer your existing pass onto it. I could be wrong though.

    • This has always been free. How is this a deal? The $6 card is a different product so cant be used to justify a deal.

      So is paying for your phone bill using paperless statements and bpay a deal because its free vs receiving papers statements and paying with credit card?

      • +2

        Dude cheer up

  • +5

    This isn't a bargain. This is just news.

    • +3

      The bargain is the $6 saving in provisioning a new card (physical)

      • So are all ebooks deals if its cheaper than a physical?

        Bpay bills a deal vs credit card fees?

        You are not saving $6 as for $6 you get a physical card. With the android version you dont get a card.

  • +1

    I rego'd for the beta, but never heard back.

    I'm interested if you can xfer existing credit across.

    It'd be nice to have multiple cards (kids + adults).

    • Don't think you can. Unless you report your existing registered card as lost, get the refund and load it on the virtual?

  • I was just saying last week that myki needs to be available on the phone or that we can use other payWave cards for travel (like you can in the UK)

    • +2

      but Melbourne has spent $500 bazillion installing original myki machines and cards!
      Are we just going to throw away all the plastic myki cards, just like we threw away all the electronic single-use paper tickets? (yes, probably).

      • +8

        IIRC when the electronic ticketing was being proposed, one of the credit card companies put a bid in to use paywave style of ticketing with their card, but that was rejected. Of course Metcard offered to retrofit their existing system for ~$50m. The guys who implemented Hong Hong & London ticketing system? Nope lets choose the most expensive option waste nearly $1.5 b on a consortium with no experience in delivering such a system! It was only 5yrs late and still not functioning correctly.

        • +2

          No corruption in the Western world / first world country.

        • +1

          "But local jobs will be created!"
          Lol

    • Sydney trains and I think ferries, but not buses accept tapping on/off with paywave.

      • They were at least working with Amex. (Ferries, trains, trams)

  • This is not a bargain. Virual Myki is and will always be a Free service. It is the physical card which is Usually $6.

  • +4

    Not a deal. The Mobile Myki 'card' is free. There is no fee for the card at all from the start

  • +1

    Although it's not a deal, I've been on the trial and it's superb. So much easier.

    • I constantly get "phone moved too fast" or something despite the tag on working. It was working fine back in Feb but now I can't view my travel history or anything because they've stuffed something up.

      • +1

        Working for me without any problems. It's probably your phone

        • Like I said, it was working fine originally back in Feb then just stopped. Tag on still works perfectly fine.

      • So it's not just me then. I have the exact same issue since end Feb till now. I switched phones last week too so it's not the phone. BUT, surprisingly it tapped on and off perfectly fine this morning.

  • only on android :(

  • Not a deal but good find. I didnt know about this

  • A deal would mean it was once a certain price and has now been discounted. This is just a rollout of a digital card that cost nothing to begin with and will cost nothing forever.

  • Been using it for a good while now, and it works almost as good as the physical card. With the added benefit of not having to carry an additional card around anymore.

    • +1

      Its good doesn't mean its a deal. Free public toilets are good but not deals.

      Also isnt this out this week how have you been using it? Im interested in setting it up. Is the top up and tap easy? I never used NFC before is it demanding on battery life? Thank you.

      • but a FREE Virtual Toilet would be a good deal.

        NFC uses virtually no power mate…i'd assume in phones they are passive as well which would yield no power. LIke i have an NFC tag in a couple of my NBA basketball jersey's, when i swipe my phone over a section of my jersey get latest updates from that player/team.

        • +1

          a FREE Virtual Toilet

          Sometimes I just really want to take a virtual shit.

      • 4000 people were part of the trial which has been ongoing for a couple of months

    • -1

      Are Myki cards heavy or bulky to carry around?

  • Anyone know of any Android phones with NFC, dual sim (4G/3G or 4G/4G) under $200 that I could use this on?

    • Nubia z17 lite is a bit over $200

      • Moto g5s plus has been close with various eBay deals.

  • +2

    First time something is developed first for Android instead of iphones.

    • +2

      Because they most likely dont have the access to the NFC chip, Apple are very finicky with who has access to that in their apps IIRC

  • Agree with the others. The physical card is $6. A different product.

  • +2

    If you already have a physical card and want to switch to the virtual Myki, you actually LOSE $6 because you need a new card and can't get a refund for the physical one.

    • +1

      Sunk cost fallacy

  • +2

    Yeah nah, this ain't a deal.

    Though if I do use it, I can have my concession card on the phone too, and if I take cash out and don't bring my bank card with me, I can finally be free of ID, and honestly, that's pretty great.

    But still not a deal.

  • I have also been on the trial. Much prefer it over the physical card. Only catch is that you need to ensure that your phone has enough juice.

    It can also do auto-top up, alerts if your balance goes under a nominated amount, you can register it just like a regular myki, you can't yet transfer balances from a physical card, however if you decide you no longer want to do myki through the app, you can contact them and they will refund the amount to you.

    Also make sure you find out where the nfc is located on your phone, some are at the top, some are lower makes tapping on and off a little easier.

  • +2

    What happens if your phone runs out of battery and can't tap off?

    • Same as if you use google pay for your credit card. You should still carry the physical card if you have one. This is just an additional way of paying.

      • Not exactly. They are separate Myki cards. If your phone is flat you will need to use (purchase) a physical card to travel, but you can't link it to your virtual card

        • +2

          Yeah, you pretty much need to have a second Myki on you. If you're phone goes flat before you touch off that would be a big nuisance.

        • +1

          Ah, ok. Sorry, I missed that part. In that instance it's definitely a pain.

          • @ColonelYumYum: Yep, if phone or payment stuffs up you're in trouble. Don't even know if you can top up mobile myki with cash.

  • I was also in the trial, and found that the touch on/off time was just too slow. Especially on the old readers. Half a second slower may not seem like much, but when lots of travellers are using phones, then it all adds up when there is a hundred people trying to exit at the same time.

    • What happens if your phone dies. How can they prove u touched on.

      • I assume you will get a fine if you can't produce a valid ticket.

        Inspectors aren't going to carry phone chargers.

        • The servers know when a conventional myki is or isn’t touched on. It would be the same for a virtual myki.
          The would just need a way to correlate the phone owner with the virtual card in the system.
          Presumably all virtual cards are registered.

          • @damion: Yeah, they might be able to match your virtual card your phone, but I doubt that will get you out of a fine. Essentially, if you can not produce a vaild ticket upon request, then you are fare evading.

  • +1

    ok so I've installed google pay. How exactly do i now "add a myki"?

  • Only "loyalty program" and "gift card" on mine so far.

    • Now i see "travel card" but no myki option. Only a United States option atm.

      • Try now

  • Yep. Like any rollout of Myki it's running smoothly.

    Took three panels to touch on, and two gates at Flinders to touch off and exit.

    Don't waste your time. Keep your mykis!

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