How much does a beep™ card cost? Is printing included?
The price of the cards may vary depending on the type of card you need. We can provide you the following types of cards:
In the case of School or Corporate IDs, the card does not include printing to maintain the confidentiality of student and employee records. In consideration of the Data Privacy Act (RA 10173) and other related government regulations, we prefer not to store such information in our database.
To learn about the details of these cards, we suggest to please leave your name, contact number, and email address. One of our Business Development associates/ manager will contact you as soon as we received your contact information.
Is there a minimum / maximum investment or order quantity for the cards?
To avail of the standard price per card, the minimum order quantity (MOQ) is 1,000 cards for ID cards, and 10,000 for Advertising or Co-Branded cards. We can still accommodate orders with quantities lower than the MOQ; however, the price is typically higher than card orders that meet the MOQ.
To learn about the details of these cards, we suggest to please leave your name, contact number, and email address. One of our Business Development associates/ manager will contact you as soon as we received your contact information.
How long is the production lead time for the cards? What if we need the cards ASAP?
The typical card production cycle, from approval of card design/proofing to actual production and delivery, takes a total of eight (8) weeks. For rush orders, we would have to confirm the availability and capacity of our card suppliers before we can commit to a delivery schedule. Should card suppliers approve the rush orders, we can accommodate, but the price per card will be higher since production entails additional resources.
Our ID Cards are already RFID and can gain access to the gates we installed in our premises, why do we need to switch to a beep™ card?
The beep™ card contains other functionalities which a simple RFID card may not have. We can check if your gates are compatible with our beep™ cards.
Note: Gates must be compatible with NXP Mifare Desfire EV1 or NXP Mifare Classic to be able to read beep™ cards.
Can we get a discount from the price you quoted us, or offer the ID cards for employees and staff for free (in the case of School IDs)?
We suggest to kindly leave your name, contact number, and email address. One of our Business Development associates/ manager will contact you as soon as we received your contact information. They will be more than glad to answer all your questions.
How long is the validity of beep cards?
Student ID cards are typically valid for one (1) year.
What is the minimum load amount of beep card?
There is no minimum load requirement.
What will happen to our conductors? Will they be laid off from their jobs if we subscribe to your solution/system?
How much will your solution cost?
Allow us to study your route and understand your operations first in order for us to come up with a customized proposal, with corresponding costs based on your requirements and operational considerations.
What happens when the device stops functioning while the vehicle is in transit?
What type of training will you provide our staff? Is it free of charge?
Training sessions are regularly given to key personnel that use the system; these include the frontliners (drivers, conductors, tellers, inspectors) and back-end personnel/staff (Accounting, Finance, Operations).
What is your unique advantage over your competitors?
Should we be concerned that BIR should start using the reports your system generates as a way to chase us for additional tax payments?
Our devices are not Point-of-Sale (POS) machines, thus they do not issue Official Receipts (OR) and does not require us to disclose any information generated by the system to the BIR. As a ticketing system, our devices are registered with the BIR as a Special Purpose Machine (SPM). We also have a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the Operator, which prevents us from disclosing any information to external parties without the expressed permission of our partner.
How will this interoperability benefit my company?
The value of interoperability is best realized when different parties do different activities within the ecosystem. In simplistic terms, if you are a user of beep™ AFCS system, you do not need to take on the responsibility of loading and selling of cards, as other participants in that interoperable ecosystem will take on that responsibility.
Is it possible to implement 100% beep in our fleet?
No. There will always be cash transactions no matter how sophisticated the system. Our devices can facilitate multiple forms of payments, including cash, as there will always be a portion of customers that prefer cash payments over any form of electronic payment.
Can your solution work outside Metro Manila?
Yes. We have started implementing our solutions in several points nationwide – in jeepneys, buses and ferry terminals.
We are actively supporting the government’s initiatives such as the PUV Modernization program, the bidding for P2P routes, among other noteworthy projects.
Are you accredited with the DOTr or LTFRB?
We offer the first and only nationwide interoperable AFCS that is fully compliant with DOTr’s Transpo standards and specifications. The same standards used in the Rail AFCS is what we use in other modes of transportation, so passengers can use the same beep™ card when traveling without having to carry another fare card.
What is a beep™ QR ticket?
beep™ QR ticket is a single-use ticket form for public transport using a QR code that meets the QCAT standard published by AFPI. The QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that can be scanned by a fare collection device to determine whether the ticket is valid. Currently beep™ QR tickets are pre-paid only. AFPI developed the beep™ ticket system as a contactless payment solution for mobile phones and paper tickets.
How can a passenger purchase a beep™ QR ticket?
Do beep™ QR tickets expire?
beep™ QR tickets purchased using digital wallets or banking apps may have different expiry periods depending on the QR ticket issuer. Most mobile phone QR tickets are valid for use within 24 hours from the date and time of purchase. Unused tickets will be forfeited.
Meanwhile, beep™ QR tickets purchased from the off-board teller or beep™ personnel, normally a paper QR Ticket, are only valid until 11:59 p.m. on the date of purchase.
Passengers are reminded to always check the validity period that is shown on the ticket to ensure that it is valid at the time of travel. They also need to ensure that the ticket is still valid when alighting the vehicle.
Can a QR ticket be used twice by the passenger?
QR tickets are valid for one-time use, depending on the validity of the QR ticket. If you encounter potential fraudulent use of beep™ QR tickets, contact AFPI immediately for investigation.
What happens if the passenger exits after his designated stop (i.e. actual stop is farther from what is paid for)?
Once the passenger scans the QR ticket on the validator, there will be a prompt that notifies the driver of the error (i.e. invalid destination). When this happens, the following steps will be applied:
What happens if the passenger scans an invalid ticket (e.g. expired ticket, passenger boarding at the wrong stop, re-used ticket, fraudulent ticket, dilapidated/ torn ticket)?
Once the passenger scans the QR ticket on the validator, there will be a prompt that notifies the driver of the error (e.g. invalid origin due to boarding at the wrong stop). When this happens, the following steps will be applied:
What if the QR ticket is lost or unreadable upon exit?
The QR ticket is the responsibility of the passenger and they are reminded to take care of it for the duration of the trip. If lost, the bus operator’s handling for lost bus tickets apply. However, if the QR code on the ticket is unreadable, the inspector can also check the trip details indicated on the ticket for confirmation.
What if the Mobile QR Ticket is not valid due to expired refresh time?
This may be caused by having no active internet connection, i.e. no signal or no data available. The passenger should be advised to connect to the internet to receive the updated QR ticket.
What if the validator device is malfunctioning or down?
If the QR validator (TPS530) is broken, it is up to the bus operator if they will accept the ticket or will require use of beep or cash. The driver is also advised to report the issue to AFPI immediately for assistance.
Who can I contact for my concerns about the beep™ QR ticket?
You may contact AFPI, through hotline number (02) 8737-9600, mobile numbers 0917 5121319/ 0998 5819675 (available Mondays to Sundays from 5am to 11pm), and/or by sending an email to customer.info@afpayments.com.
For more details, check our website, https://beeptopay.com/contact-us.html
What cards are covered by this program?
How long will the validity of the beep™ card be extended?
When should I request to extend the validity date of my beep™ card under this program?
Is this service free of charge?
Why is there a P10 fee for this service?
What are the steps involved in the beep™ card extension process?
Are there beep™ cards that are not eligible for this extension program?
[1] Timebound concessionary cards have a time limit in which the concessionary cardholder is eligible for the concessionary card. For example, Student cards may be timebound whereas Senior Citizen or Person With Disability (PWD) cards are not.
[2] For example, staff cards of rail employees
Do we need to connect the Stand Alone Retail Acquiring (SARA) solution to our Point of Sale (POS)?
No, the SARA device is a plug-and-play device. You only need to connect the it to a power source to activate. The cashiers/frontliners only need to enter the desired amount, and ask the customer to tap his/her beep™ card on the same device to facilitate the transaction.
You also have the option to add a printer to go together with your device, and it also just needs to be connected to a power source. There is no need to integrate the functionalities of the SARA device to the existing POS.
What happens when the device stops functioning while the vehicle is in use?
The cashiers/frontliners will be given adequate training, including basic device troubleshooting and issue escalation procedures so they will know what to do when the device is not functioning.
If the basic troubleshooting does not resolve the issue, the store personnel will be instructed to make a service call and report the incident for investigation. Spare devices will be issued/endorsed to the operator (approximately 10% of total devices deployed, but subject to their final commercial terms and conditions), which can be used to replace the defective units so that operations will not be hampered.
What type of training will you provide our staff? Is it free of charge?
Training sessions are regularly given to key personnel that use the system. These include the frontliners (drivers, conductors, tellers, inspectors) and back-end personnel/staff (Accounting, Finance, Operations).
Does your solution provide reports? If yes, what type of report(s) is/are available for use?
Yes. Our system generates transaction reports that will allow for settlement and reconciliation, and the information contained therein can be used for other purposes such as sales tracking, trends analysis, and operational improvements.
When does settlement of beep™ transactions occur?
Settlement is done using the “t+1” principle, i.e., transactions that transpire today (prior to the cut-off time) will be settled tomorrow (provided the next day is a working day) and is based on mutually agreed business rules.
Are there bank fees involved in the settlement of beep™ transactions?
If you have a BPI account, there are no bank charges for settlement transactions. Otherwise, you can negotiate with your bank to waive any existing fee for bank-to-bank transfers.
Is there a hotline we can call for technical and other inquiries?
We have a Merchant Service Desk (MSD) open everyday from 5AM to 11PM to answer all your inquiries – including incident reporting, device troubleshooting, and other concerns.
Where can customers load their beep™ cards?
Aside from the ticket vending machines (TVMs) or teller booths at train stations (LRT 1, LRT 2 and MRT 3), cards can be loaded through convenience stores (FamilyMart, Mini Stop), Bills Payment outlets (e.g., Bayad Center, SM Bills Payment, Robinsons Business Centers, Villarica and Tambunting Pawnshops), selected Chinabank ATMs, mobile apps like coins.ph and Over-the-Air (OTA) Loading via EON by Unionbank, Justpay.to, Akulaku and BPI. There are also self-service beep™ loading kiosks located in transport hubs and other strategic areas.