# BoI Laser Termination Date Confirmed: Jan 31st 2012



## Lightning (30 Nov 2011)

BoI have finally confirmed the date that they will stop issuing Laser cards as January 31st 2012.

Existing customers will get the new Visa Debit card before June 30th 2012.

Source: Advertisment in todays Irish Times.


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## sitstill (30 Nov 2011)

If someone "loses" their Laser card on or after the 31 of January, would they be given a Visa Debit instead?!


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## Lightning (30 Nov 2011)

Most likely.


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## partnership (3 Dec 2011)

When are they going to tell their customers about this?
What are the benefits of one over the other?
I am with BOI and if I am not convinced might move to another bank or are all banks changing?


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## Sunny (4 Dec 2011)

All the banks are leaving laser or will eventually. Have had visa debit for couple of years now. No problems at all.


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## Lightning (4 Dec 2011)

partnership said:


> When are they going to tell their customers about this?
> What are the benefits of one over the other?
> I am with BOI and if I am not convinced might move to another bank or are all banks changing?



Probably January 2012 or February 2012. 

Visa Debit can be used online much more widely than Laser. 

All banks are changing except NIB for now.


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## Lightning (4 Dec 2011)

Sunny said:


> All the banks are leaving laser or will eventually.



Most likely. NIB are the only bank to have not yet formally announced plans.


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## rev87 (4 Dec 2011)

Mine expires at the end of Feb '12. Hopefully get sent the visa debit in its place


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## potnoodler (4 Dec 2011)

Airtricity charge €5 surcharge to pay with visa debit.  Wonder are there many others who will follow suit


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## Lightning (4 Dec 2011)

potnoodler said:


> Airtricity charge €5 surcharge to pay with visa debit.  Wonder are there many others who will follow suit



Typical of Airtricity to have, yet more, hidden charges. 

Berfair also charge more for Visa Debit, as do others. 

There are more 3rd party wire charges with Visa Debit than Laser.


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## Lightning (4 Dec 2011)

rev87 said:


> Mine expires at the end of Feb '12. Hopefully get sent the visa debit in its place



99% likely you will.


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## terrontress (6 Dec 2011)

The BOI Visa Debit will be Contactless, won't it? That will be handy.


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## seantheman (6 Dec 2011)

My kids who both currently have Boi laser,were sent forms to fill and return by Dec 23 to 'upgrade' to Visa Debit,as it requires parental consent


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## Gulliver (7 Dec 2011)

Does anybody know whether VISA DEBIT will be accepted by Aldi and Lidl.  At the moment, they only accept Laser


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## Time (7 Dec 2011)

They have both accepted Visa Debit for at least the last 18 months.
It is staff in the shops that have not been educated.


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## TarfHead (7 Dec 2011)

terrontress said:


> The BOI Visa Debit will be Contactless, won't it? That will be handy.


 
It'll be capable of contactless payment. It then depends on the device at point of sale.


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## Gulliver (7 Dec 2011)

AFAIK, not a single retailer in Ireland accepts contactless cards


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## Lightning (7 Dec 2011)

Gulliver said:


> AFAIK, not a single retailer in Ireland accepts contactless cards



Hopefully the BoI cards and the NFC technology that will be built into more phones next year will spur adoption here.


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## Westie123 (12 Dec 2011)

Does anyone when AIB are changing over to Visa debit?


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## LindaG (13 Dec 2011)

I heard someone say today that retailers will be passing on the percentage charged by VISA to BoI debit card users??? Is this possible? Does this mean that for supermarket shopping, petrol etc where I normally pay by laser, I will now be faced with a 5% extra by the said retailers as they do not wish to carry it?
If this is the case, then larger amounts of cash will be carried by people, increasing the likelihood of robberies etc.


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## rev87 (21 Jan 2012)

CiaranT said:


> 99% likely you will.



Received a new laser card in the post yesterday


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## Time (21 Jan 2012)

BOI just won't let the dinosaur die.


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## Lightning (21 Jan 2012)

Huh? BoI are going to bring an end to Laser.


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## AgathaC (23 Jan 2012)

I received a new Laser card from BOI in the post today.


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## TwoWheels (24 Jan 2012)

I am abroad at the moment,
Will my lazer card just stop working on the 1st Feb?
I will have to DHL my new card to me from my Ireland address?


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## Time (24 Jan 2012)

If it expires it will stop working. You should have the new card at your Irish address in plenty of time. If you will still be abroad you will need someone to get the new card to you.


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## pator (24 Jan 2012)

TwoWheels said:


> I am abroad at the moment,
> Will my lazer card just stop working on the 1st Feb?
> I will have to DHL my new card to me from my Ireland address?


 
As Time said it will only stop working if you try to use it after the expiry date printed on the card. 

BofI do not expect to have the new visa debit cards to everyone untill the end of June and laser will only be phased out after that. 

In any event Laser cards (or at least the laser part of the card) primarily only work in Ireland


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## DoctorEvil (24 Jan 2012)

pator said:


> BofI do not expect to have the new visa debit cards to everyone untill the end of June and laser will only be phased out after that.
> 
> In any event Laser cards (or at least the laser part of the card) primarily only work in Ireland



I noticed on my online 365 today that a transction I made yesterday on my Laser is showing as "23JAN DEBIT CARD". Normally shows as Laser until merchant details are updated.


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## pator (25 Jan 2012)

DoctorEvil said:


> I noticed on my online 365 today that a transction I made yesterday on my Laser is showing as "23JAN DEBIT CARD". Normally shows as Laser until merchant details are updated.


 
Ya, my point to "two wheels" was that his/her laser card wont just stop working on Feb 1st (provided its in date) and that they can use it as normal (for what ever they used it for abroad in the past)  and dont need to panic with a courier


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## sitstill (27 Jan 2012)

Does anyone know if this is definitely happening next week?


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## rebecca1999 (27 Jan 2012)

hi, 
My hubbys laser card ran out this month, got new card in the post and it was laser too went into BoI to check before activating it and was told all staff have had their new cards and customers will be receiving theirs on a roll out from Jan 2012 in alphabetical order!! 
Also said that everyone would have new cards before end of July 2012.
Wish I'd kept my maiden name lol


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## Renter7 (12 Feb 2012)

has anyone actually got the new BOI Visa debit card yet? 

Also, will new cards includes new technology for paying for small transactions without having to enter pin number (I know it'll prob take a while for retailers to actually implement).


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## KoolKid (13 Feb 2012)

Mine expires in March , Ill expect mine then so.
Can anyone with one of these confirm is the cash back facility still available with Visa debit?
I know it was an issue with Halifax's one.


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## Willy Fogg (14 Feb 2012)

> has anyone actually got the new BOI Visa debit card yet?



I believe it's been rolled back until March at least.



> Also, will new cards includes new technology for paying for small  transactions without having to enter pin number (I know it'll prob take a  while for retailers to actually implement).



Apparently



> Can anyone with one of these confirm is the cash back facility still available with Visa debit?



Yes, there is.


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## Janet (14 Feb 2012)

rebecca1999 said:


> hi,
> Also said that everyone would have new cards before end of July 2012.


This is a bit of a nuisance since my current card should run till the beginning of 2014.  Since I live abroad new cards aren't the most convenient thing.  Although I have to admit last time round it was much easier than before as they really did post it to my Irish address and I was able to just have it forwarded to me and could activate it by using it in an ATM here.  Hopefully I'm just worrying about nothing because I'm remembering the time before when they insisted I collect in person, I arranged holidays specifically around doing that and when I got there, they had only issued me an ATM card and not a Laser (only the Laser includes the Cirrus and Maestro that are required for using it outside Ireland).  

Could someon who has the visa direct already confirm that it has the cirrus and maestro symbols on the back as well, please?


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## moonman (14 Feb 2012)

boi told me today by email that they will be rolling out the visa debit card between march 2012 and august 2012 on a phased basis.


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## Willy Fogg (14 Feb 2012)

Janet said:


> This is a bit of a nuisance since my current card should run till the beginning of 2014.  Since I live abroad new cards aren't the most convenient thing.  Although I have to admit last time round it was much easier than before as they really did post it to my Irish address and I was able to just have it forwarded to me and could activate it by using it in an ATM here.  Hopefully I'm just worrying about nothing because I'm remembering the time before when they insisted I collect in person, I arranged holidays specifically around doing that and when I got there, they had only issued me an ATM card and not a Laser (only the Laser includes the Cirrus and Maestro that are required for using it outside Ireland).
> 
> Could someon who has the visa direct already confirm that it has the cirrus and maestro symbols on the back as well, please?



Visa Debit, not Visa Direct 

It doesn't need Maestro/Cirrus logos. They're just to indicate that a card can be used in an ATM that accepts Mastercard/Maesto/Cirrus. Visa Debit works in any ATM that accepts Visa Debit or Visa Credit cards - most banks/ATM's (not all, but it's rare) accept cards from both networks.


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## Janet (14 Feb 2012)

Willy Fogg said:


> Visa Debit, not Visa Direct



Oops, thank you.  

The reason I ask is that things work differently in Germany.  I know I can use a cirrus card with no problem.  I'm not sure that ATMs here take visa debit and will need to check that.  It is sometimes convenient for me to use my BoI card to take money out because if I'm not near an ATM from my German bank (or one of the other banks they have an agreement with) I am charged (usually around 5 euro per withdrawal) for taking money out using my German card.  It is cheaper and easier then to take money out of my BoI account and just transfer it online from my German account to my BoI account later on.  Same thing while travelling - if I'm in France, for example, I can take money out of my BoI account using my PASS/Laser/Cirrus card without incurring any charges.  If I were to take money out from my German account I'd be paying hefty charges.


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## Bcommercial (15 Feb 2012)

Hi,

Does anyone know what new attributes these visa debit cards will have over the laser debit cards...and if they will be acceptable for online transactions like visa credit cards where presently laser are not accepted?

Thanks


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## markpb (15 Feb 2012)

Bcommercial said:


> if they will be acceptable for online transactions like visa credit cards where presently laser are not accepted?



Basically, yes. Retailers (online and otherwise) who accept Visa cards will accept Visa Debit cards.


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## Bcommercial (16 Feb 2012)

markpb said:


> Basically, yes. Retailers (online and otherwise) who accept Visa cards will accept Visa Debit cards.



Yea! .. that's good news as I've often had problems with my laser online and don't have a credit card ..was just researching the prepaid Mastercard  from Moneybookers but now will ask at my bank about these visa debit cards first and when I'll be issued one.


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## moonman (16 Feb 2012)

Bcommercial -- see my post number 36 , on tuesday 14th  i had an e mail from bank of ireland head office , they will start rolling out the visa debit card from march 2012 till august 2012. i dont know about aib but i heard they will be starting in may , but i cannot confirm that. i can confirm the b, o ,i info.


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## Bcommercial (16 Feb 2012)

moonman said:


> Bcommercial -- see my post number 36 , on tuesday 14th  i had an e mail from bank of ireland head office , they will start rolling out the visa debit card from march 2012 till august 2012. i dont know about aib but i heard they will be starting in may , but i cannot confirm that. i can confirm the b, o ,i info.



Thanks...rang local AIB branch and was told they'd be introducing them initially as a pilot, eg for staff first, and hoped to have role out for all by year end.


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## moonman (16 Feb 2012)

my laser card will expire at the end of this month . last thursday 9th i went to my local branch of b o i and asked would they be sending out a visa or laser card the girl i spoke to told me that a new laser card was in the post since tues 7th. when i asked her about visa debit she told me i would have to contact head office , which i did as reported in post 36. after a week        when it still hadnt arrived i went back to the bank because i was worried in case it got into the wrong hands,. i was told it takes about 10 days to process a card and it goes to a central area for posting etc.  ithen asked him would it be a visa debit card he answered  i hope so.


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## KoolKid (16 Feb 2012)

I can't see how they would be issuing Laser cards at this stage. They are says the changeover is over the next few months.,


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## moonman (16 Feb 2012)

well      koolkid    i will post the result when the card arrives in the next few days . my daughter   was in her local branch of ptsb today enquiring about a visa debit card and a teller told her the maximum amount she could take out per day was 500. when she went home she looked up the website and under faqs it states 700 its there for all to see , i dont know how these people are trained.


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## KoolKid (17 Feb 2012)

Don't even get me started on tellers at BOI.


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## KoolKid (20 Feb 2012)

Well 2 new cards arrived this morning both Laser ????
No doubt 2 more new cards will be issued in the coming months. 
Nice to see how the banks are still wasting our cash.


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## KoolKid (20 Feb 2012)

Update:
Just off the phone to BOI. 
They say they don't know when the roll out of VISA is happening. So they are continuing to issue laser.


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## moonman (20 Feb 2012)

were you on to h/o or your local branch , ? as i emaild their head office card section last week and was told through email that they were going to roll them out between march and august this year as i have posted earlier .


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## amtc (21 Feb 2012)

recieved my new BOI laser card yesterday!


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## moonman (21 Feb 2012)

i have just recieved a new laser card today . what a crowd of clowns in boi.


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## kimmage (24 Apr 2012)

BOI contactless visa debit arrived today!


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## sitstill (24 Apr 2012)

kimmage said:


> BOI contactless visa debit arrived today!


 

Serious??! I thought it was only for staff at the moment?


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## kimmage (24 Apr 2012)

sitstill said:


> Serious??! I thought it was only for staff at the moment?



Staff accounts were supposed to be rolled out in January I think.  Apparently its all customers on a phased basis, branch by branch.


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## Renter7 (26 Apr 2012)

Is there a list anywhere of what retailers are accepting contactless payments for Visa Debit?


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## Gulliver (27 Apr 2012)

I believe it would fit on the back of a postage stamp


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## Renter7 (27 Apr 2012)

Gulliver said:


> I believe it would fit on the back of a postage stamp



That's a no is it?


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## seantheman (30 May 2012)

seantheman said:


> My kids who both currently have Boi laser,were sent forms to fill and return by Dec 23 to 'upgrade' to Visa Debit,as it requires parental consent


 
My Son and Daughter both recieved their Visa Debit cards today


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## moonman (11 Sep 2012)

i recieved my visa debit card today having recieved a new laser as recently as 21st february , my went to the bank and asked; if we lost the card and someone found it and used it for a few 15 euro purchases on the contactless system who would be liable for the money,  and the girl she spoke to said we would .  she then asked my wife if she would like to change it , and added that she changed hers. my wife was in a hurry so she told the girl she would call back tomorrow . does anyone know if one can get a visa debit card without the contactless facility on it .


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## Janet (11 Sep 2012)

moonman said:


> if we lost the card and someone found it and used it for a few 15 euro purchases on the contactless system who would be liable for the money,  and the girl she spoke to said we would .


That's interesting, I hadn't read through the small print yet and had been wondering why it was being touted as a more secure way of doing things.  My sister lives in Australia and they have the contactless system over there - she said that every random number of purchases you have to enter a pin and that's how the keep an eye on it.

I received mine a couple of weeks ago, after having received a new Laser in March (replacement for a stolen one) which had an expiry date in 2015 on it.  They haven't made any allowance for anyone living abroad - you have to activate it by using it in a BoI ATM within two months.  A pain but at least I can get back from Germany fairly easily, even if another trip home this year had not been budgeted for (yes, I could send it home to someone to do it for me but I try to be careful with my PIN besides not wanting the card to get lost in transit).  If you don't activate it within the two months it becomes invalid, as does your laser card.


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## Perplexed (11 Sep 2012)

Moonman - yes you can get one without the Contactless facility.  It doesn't have the  )))  symbols on it


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## moonman (11 Sep 2012)

thanks for that


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## theresa1 (12 Sep 2012)

The card can be activated at any chip & pin atm machine displaying the Visa symbol worldwide.


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## Janet (12 Sep 2012)

theresa1 said:


> The card can be activated at any chip & pin atm machine displaying the Visa symbol worldwide.



Where did you get that information from?  They were very specific in the literature that it must be activated in a Bank of Ireland ATM, including one of the FAQs given asking what to do if abroad. Answer: card must be activated in a Bank of Ireland ATM.

I know three or four years ago I had to use my Laser card in a BoI ATM first to activate it and when I received the replacement one earlier this year all I had to do was use it first in any ATM worldwide so they do seem to change their minds.  Did you activate yours by using it in a non-BoI or non-Irish ATM?


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## moonman (12 Sep 2012)

i went to my bank branch today and spoke to one of the staff , and im changing my contactless card for one without that facility , the person i was with said there would be no charge , but she reminded me that normally a change of card through loss or misuse normally incurs a charge of 5euro 90 cent.


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## Alex (12 Sep 2012)

i was able to activate my boi visa debit card at an ulster bank atm!


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## theresa1 (12 Sep 2012)

theresa1 said:


> The card can be activated at any chip & pin atm machine displaying the Visa symbol worldwide.


 


- Source - a BOI rep on Boards website. I have not got a BOI Debit card myself yet.


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## Hector House (19 Mar 2013)

Just today activated BOI visa debit card at a Dutch ATM (ABN Amro, to be precise) - apparently not possible, according to the BOI website...


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## munchy (20 Mar 2013)

I activated mine in London at a Natwest atm machine.


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## Janet (21 Mar 2013)

Good to know for future cards that even if they say differently in the literature, it might be worth trying it in a local (for me that means German) ATM anyway.  Still, at least I got to go home for a few days, see some new baby arrivals and stock up on rashers and tayto. Had been running out of chef brown sauce, too.


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