I too am really surprised the US is so far behind the times with regards to chip & pin. I am going to US in October & have been advised to get one of the master cards from the post office that you load up with dollars. That the way to go yea ?
Chip & Pin in US?
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SittingElf
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This is changing in the USA. I recently was able to get a new Visa Debit Card from my Credit Union that has the chip. Very important when I travel overseas, because there are a lot of ATM's that won't accept a card that isn't chipped. Now I have many more options for getting cash in places that previously denied my cards.
USAA, my primary bank has stated that they are going to be converting as well soon, so my assumption is that U.S. banks will be going to the chip system soon.
Cheers.
USAA, my primary bank has stated that they are going to be converting as well soon, so my assumption is that U.S. banks will be going to the chip system soon.
Cheers.
Yes, the US is moving to a Chip & Sign, but not using it like the rest of the world with Chip & PIN. That's why I called it a bastardized version of Chip & PIN.
Apparently the banks and merchants disagreed strongly with the card brands about implementing full strength C&P (basing their claim on it being too slow and complicated at the cashier to require PIN input) and instead opted to use the Chip more like a mag-stripe for storing the primary account number in a less easily duplicable container.
Stumbled on a funny article of the opposite experiences i.e. Americans in Europe
According to this rather recent article it seems that only two banks provide Chip-cards in the US at this time. Sounds like it will take still a long time before the US merchant base has been converted to Chip-terminals to actually accept them...
Apparently the banks and merchants disagreed strongly with the card brands about implementing full strength C&P (basing their claim on it being too slow and complicated at the cashier to require PIN input) and instead opted to use the Chip more like a mag-stripe for storing the primary account number in a less easily duplicable container.
Stumbled on a funny article of the opposite experiences i.e. Americans in Europe
According to this rather recent article it seems that only two banks provide Chip-cards in the US at this time. Sounds like it will take still a long time before the US merchant base has been converted to Chip-terminals to actually accept them...
jmbfestool
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I remember going to Florida about 12years ago or more and man your mobile phones (cell phones) where really outdated!
Also so many of you Americans walked around using loud speaker to talk on the phone which I found hilarious! Wasnt much of a private conversation.
Also found alot of Americans didnt have mobile phones, when I got mine out I got a few looks.
(got my mobile out!! I know what you lot where thinking!)
Also so many of you Americans walked around using loud speaker to talk on the phone which I found hilarious! Wasnt much of a private conversation.
Also found alot of Americans didnt have mobile phones, when I got mine out I got a few looks.
(got my mobile out!! I know what you lot where thinking!)
Moving to AU from America some things took getting used to. I barely use checks anymore. Direct bank transfers are much more common, where in the US you tended to keep your account info private. Paywave is probably the best thing ever invented, though I haven't lost my cards and had someone go to town with it yet. Since I've been flying so much more recently I'm loving the mobile check in and E boarding passes you get on your phone, and the Q-tags on Qantas (a bit off topic).
Another cool thing I never saw before moving here is a cab charge, a single use paper CC that is good nationwide. Whoever wants to give you a free ride gives you one of these (for an airport transfer, etc) and when you use it the final charge for the cab is direct debited from the purchasing account. Really convenient and does away with logging receipts and returning them with unused petty cash or what have you.
Second the suggestion you specifically tell your bank you'll be traveling. You may still have a hassle even after they put a note on your account. Have the 24hr customer service number handy for when you get held up and declined trying to make a purchase.
Another cool thing I never saw before moving here is a cab charge, a single use paper CC that is good nationwide. Whoever wants to give you a free ride gives you one of these (for an airport transfer, etc) and when you use it the final charge for the cab is direct debited from the purchasing account. Really convenient and does away with logging receipts and returning them with unused petty cash or what have you.
Second the suggestion you specifically tell your bank you'll be traveling. You may still have a hassle even after they put a note on your account. Have the 24hr customer service number handy for when you get held up and declined trying to make a purchase.
You have to keep in mind that we have an entire industry built around identity theft. I don't mean the thieving part, I mean the `protecting from` part.
When in Ukraine about 5 years ago the only place I could use my plastic was at the bank-o-mat, aka ATM. Going 'old school' for a couple of weeks by using cash.
When in the UK that same year I found it at first odd when I plunked down my plastic on the table only for the waitress to look directly at it and walk away. Of course returning in a moment with the card reader.
JRB, definitely pop a couple hundred (in $20's) in your pocket to have as a back-up plan. I live my life with plastic and now that I live out in the stick I should KNOW to do so myself. I was just a couple of months ago I had to leave my driver's license with my local convenience store for a tank of gas. There had been a fire a couple of miles up the road, melting the telecom and they couldn't process plastic. If not for the manager, I would have never been able to leave for a lack of gas. Had I been anywhere else.......
When in Ukraine about 5 years ago the only place I could use my plastic was at the bank-o-mat, aka ATM. Going 'old school' for a couple of weeks by using cash.
When in the UK that same year I found it at first odd when I plunked down my plastic on the table only for the waitress to look directly at it and walk away. Of course returning in a moment with the card reader.
JRB, definitely pop a couple hundred (in $20's) in your pocket to have as a back-up plan. I live my life with plastic and now that I live out in the stick I should KNOW to do so myself. I was just a couple of months ago I had to leave my driver's license with my local convenience store for a tank of gas. There had been a fire a couple of miles up the road, melting the telecom and they couldn't process plastic. If not for the manager, I would have never been able to leave for a lack of gas. Had I been anywhere else.......
RL said:
The point is that a large object generally doesn't quickly change course. Regarding cell phones in the US, I'm reminded of visiting relatives in Sweden as a teen in the early '80s and went on a little excursion on the train, took the wrong stop and got lost. I thought no worries, I'll just call my relatives and then came my fruitless search for a payphone, something quite ubiquitous in the US that I completely took for granted. A store clerk informed me there wasn't any payphones in her town and generously offered to call my relatives. From my childhood I had a means to make phone calls on the go that just required pocket change and was located virtually everywhere in the US. Where that infrastructure was lacking the introduction of mobile phones made a much more significant impact on peoples lives.
Regarding credit cards there's over 600,000 restaurants in the US, introducing a new payment technology across that spectrum is difficult, it's sort of the chicken and egg thing, restaurant owners will change when they lose business because of it and customers will want it when there are enough restaurants who offer it. Not to mention there are laws of the feds and 50 states to consider as well. These things don't change quickly.
jmbfestool
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Paul G said:
No but if you look at Europe as a entire country who has been able to change your size comparison is out of proportion. Yes a single country would be a kayak but not Europe. Meaning USA isn't that big to not be able to make change quicker.
I believe people in power or influence have something to do with it. Stopping the development.
Very much like your food in some of your schools being very unhealthy but the powers to be must have investment in the companies who supply the food so won't allow healthy food or change of Menu.
I remember watching English sheff go over to USA to try and make schools change the food but most governments wouldn't allow him to come close and the ones which let him into the school to try out different foods refused to change supply of food. Iven though it meant kids got burgers an chips everyday.
jmbfestool
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SRSemenza said:
Very true! Here we now have kids 10yrs or younger with mobile phones even contracts!!
I had a pay-as-go mobile when I just turned 12years old, ummmm 14 years ago....feels like I only had that mobile yesterday.
To be fair i dont think the food in our schools are that healthy either. Possibly not as bad but still not great but thats a whole other story. Dont want to turn this into a US bashing exercise.
On the subject of mobile phones, kids are using them far too young here. JMB is prob right with 10 years old being the average age for a first phone in the UK.
Is it the same in other countries ?
On the subject of mobile phones, kids are using them far too young here. JMB is prob right with 10 years old being the average age for a first phone in the UK.
Is it the same in other countries ?
Well, here in Finland where we kinda invented the really mobile mobile phones (i.e. 2110 by Nokia) its commonplace that every 1st grader has to have a smartphone @ the age of 7. Some kids have cell phones even in daycare.
I remember getting my first own cell phone at the age of 16... in 1991 when Radiolinja opened its first GSM network and Motorola came out with their Microtac II GMS-phone. After that I used only Nokia phones until the iPhone 3GS came out.
It is a sad day today since Micro$oft just annouced its buying the Nokia mobile phone and services business in its entirety [crying]
I remember getting my first own cell phone at the age of 16... in 1991 when Radiolinja opened its first GSM network and Motorola came out with their Microtac II GMS-phone. After that I used only Nokia phones until the iPhone 3GS came out.
It is a sad day today since Micro$oft just annouced its buying the Nokia mobile phone and services business in its entirety [crying]
jmbfestool said:
But Europe isn't a country, the UK is a sovereign nation able to make systemic changes independent of its neighbors far easier than say Texas can change without first having a change at the fed level. This has its pluses and minuses, but the point is Europe as a whole may compare geographically with the US but not politically.
jmbfestool said:
And this is somehow unique to the US? LOL
jmbfestool said:
Ah yes, case in point. I'd argue more free enterprise and parental responsibility and less govt would improve this, it's probably not a problem in private schools. I'm reminded of this recent story http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1284262 but I suspect the OP won't be dining in a school cafeteria, nor will they accept chip and pin.
RL said:
It wasn't meant as a slight, just two very different sized pleasure crafts to illustrate a point. On a personal note I'd much rather go kayaking than take a cruise so for me I view it fondly, but if my analogy was considered offensive I sincerely apologize, that wasn't my intent.
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