[yoscenario2000]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Canceling an ICICI Fastag account was a seamless process. I had sold my car and placed the cancellation request after logging into the ICICI Fastag website. After a few days, got an SMS that the tag is deactivated and the balance got credited to my account after some weeks (within the time that was mentioned at the time of cancellation). No follow-up or any branch visits were required.

I'm in the same situation, yesterday I sold my car and enquired about deactivation of old car's ICICI fastag.

The response I received from ICICI Fastag customer care is that I need to add 200 rs to this Fastag account (currently Fastag balance is in single digit). And then they will deactivate it and refund me 200 (which is just added) + 200 deposit which was submitted while procuring the new ICICI Fastag. Strange.

[Gnashman]

Originally Posted by barcalad

I do have an observation, though. In all of the tolls I have crossed using my old Paytm Fastag, I used to get the deduction message and/or email after a few kilometers had passed. On an average, I would get the toll deduction message after I had driven for 3-4 kilometers from the toll barrier. In my new Amazon - ICICI Fastag, this hasn't been the case, yet. I got each of the the deduction messages (with details) as well as an email within a few meters of crossing the toll barrier. I'm impressed.

On that note, I have (or have had) FasTag from Axis, ICICI, IDFC, and PayTM. The tags issued by the Banks in general are significantly faster, and more importantly more consistent with their messages. For instance, for 5-6 debits during the same trip I have had my PayTM messages drop anywhere between 5 minutes and 20 hours after the debit! With the Banks on the other hand, I do not recollect any message taking more than 30 minutes. Between the Banks, ICICI, IDFC and Axis, in that order; though the differences are marginal.

PayTM being late with its messages may have something to do with PayTM not having accounts of its own (PayTM accounts are maintained with banks)? So PayTM relies on the Bank's core banking network to inform PayTM of the debit or credit for it to then inform you?

Maybe we could have someone who has had a FasTag issued by another non-Bank entity share their experiences to see if they all face issues or PayTM is 'truly unique'.

The differences between the different FasTag issuers could be a thread unto itself!

[binand]

Originally Posted by Gnashman

PayTM being late with its messages may have something to do with PayTM not having accounts of its own (PayTM accounts are maintained with banks)? So PayTM relies on the Bank's core banking network to inform PayTM of the debit or credit for it to then inform you?

This is wrong at multiple levels. First of all, Paytm is also a bank. In fact, only banks are allowed to issue Fastags and all known issuers are banks. Paytm uses Infosys's Finacle, the same software used by a number of domestic and foreign banks for core banking.

Originally Posted by Gnashman

The tags issued by the Banks in general are significantly faster, and more importantly more consistent with their messages. For instance, for 5-6 debits during the same trip I have had my PayTM messages drop anywhere between 5 minutes and 20 hours after the debit!

The Fastag workflow is very much batch-oriented. The toll booths aggregate transactions from multiple lanes (and multiple toll booths where relevant) and present them in batches to their acquiring banks; the acquiring banks and issuing banks talk to each other through NPCI's infrastructure in batches. The issuing banks must be dumping SMS requests to the messaging partner in batches (aggregating Fastag and non-Fastag SMSes) and the messaging partner must be dumping to mobile network in batches too (after aggregating SMS from multiple clients). Each such batching involves a delay (while the batch waits to be filled up or a timer to expire).

I also don't understand why SMS arrival delay is considered as a key metric for Fastag acceptance. Personally, I disable all messaging when I'm driving so I don't even notice these SMSes. All I do is to check my Fastag statement to ensure no double charges at the end of the journey. Surely the most important aspect of Fastag is the amount of delay between you reaching the boom barrier and the barrier rising? The Fastag system keeps the issuing bank out of this loop.

Originally Posted by Gnashman

The differences between the different FasTag issuers could be a thread unto itself!

Such a thread exists: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...-provider.html (Who is your preferred FASTag provider?)

[Sukanta73]

For the new car, dealer is charging Rs. 500. My questions is as below-

1. Is it activated ? If not then how to activate?
2. If no then do I need to activate with any bank?
3. How much balance is available?
4. I have seen in toll plaza that many providers are selling the fastag, if I go for it, is it activate immediately?

Thanks in advance.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Sukanta73

For the new car, dealer is charging Rs. 500.

1. Is it activated ? If not then how to activate?
2. If no then do I need to activate with any bank?
3. How much balance is available?

In my case - tag activation was one of the checklist items at the time of vehicle delivery. The SA triggered the activation workflow at Paytm. I got an OTP which I passed on to the SA who entered it in some portal and the tag was activated, even before I drove out of the dealership.

The Rs. 500 I paid was was apportioned as: 150 as refundable deposit, 150 as tag cost and 200 as initial balance.

[Gnashman]

Originally Posted by binand

I also don't understand why SMS arrival delay is considered as a key metric for Fastag acceptance. Surely the most important aspect of Fastag is the amount of delay between you reaching the boom barrier and the barrier rising?

Granted, the arrival (or not) of the SMS should not be a metric for acceptance. But you will agree that if the toll attendant (incorrectly) says that the FasTag is not being read or that there is not enough balance on the Tag, if one had the SMS handy, one could close out the issue with minimal fuss or loss of time. If the SMS drops on time, the probability of the attendant getting away with trying to pull a fast one drops significantly.

Originally Posted by binand

All I do is to check my Fastag statement to ensure no double charges at the end of the journey.

I for one would want to avoid having to go through this statement altogether!
But just out of curiosity, how often do you get double charges and when you do, how quickly (and painlessly) does the refund get processed?

Originally Posted by binand

This is wrong at multiple levels. First of all, Paytm is also a bank. In fact, only banks are allowed to issue Fastags and all known issuers are banks. Paytm uses Infosys's Finacle, the same software used by a number of domestic and foreign banks for core banking.

Huge miss on my part, my apologies. Yes, only banks can issue FasTags, and yes, PayTM is indeed now a payments bank - though pardon me for being pedantic, but not all banks are created equal! Having said that, agree that with PayTM using Finacle CBS and being added to the second schedule, there is no difference anymore.

Originally Posted by binand

Such a thread exists: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...-provider.html (Who is your preferred FASTag provider?)

Many thanks, going through it as we speak.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Gnashman

But you will agree that if the toll attendant (incorrectly) says that the FasTag is not being read or that there is not enough balance on the Tag, if one had the SMS handy, one could close out the issue with minimal fuss or loss of time. If the SMS drops on time, the probability of the attendant getting away with trying to pull a fast one drops significantly.

As I mentioned previously - the system is designed to work asynchronously (probably to avoid contributing to wait times at the toll booths) so one must not rely on the SMS for anything. The matrix display at the toll lane shows valid or blacklisted tag as you approach it, so there is no reason for any other interaction with the toll booth folks. If my tag is valid and the boom barrier refuses to open, I just stay put and insist they manage it somehow. This happened once at Sriperumbudur booth; I asked for the complaint book and then they miraculously found the right incantation to get the barrier to open.

I think you are looking at instances where the matrix display shows your tag is blacklisted, the boom barrier refuses to budge but you get the SMS of deduction. This is not supposed to happen at all. It is not a scenario I'm going to lose sleep over.

Originally Posted by Gnashman

But just out of curiosity, how often do you get double charges and when you do, how quickly (and painlessly) does the refund get processed?

In ~6 years, 4 tags, 2 providers, 60K km, toll booth traversals that run into 500+ - I have had reason to reach out to the provider twice. Exactly one of those was because of double charging, at Coimbatore bypass - the lane in which I was had to be shut down so I had to reverse and get into a new lane. Got charged in both lanes. Reported and got a refund.

The other was a return traversal being counted as two separate one-way traversals, which also I reported and got a refund. This was in the very early days when only one lane per toll booth per direction was Fastag-enabled. Apparently an error in configuration meant that both lanes at this particular booth (Devanahalli) were configured in the same direction so "return" was not a possible transaction there. Got an apology letter and refund for my trouble.

In the first case (double charge) the toll operator initially refused to refund. I had to raise a complaint through pgportal after which NHAI sent a team to inspect the CCTV footage and ordered L&T to refund me (even got a letter from NHAI Chennai office detailing the things they did to get me my Rs. 45 back). The second case, one ticket through the support portal was all that was required.

I have had many instances of tolls not being charged. Perhaps 1-2 a year. Now I have enough confidence in the system to not bother with the statement at all; I just look at it when someone here on team-bhp ask for some specifics about toll amounts (All Roads to Kerala).

[johnmraj]

Dear patrons,

A couple of questions :

1. My IDBI Fastag doesnt seem to recharge through any APP ( Paytm). What ever recharge I put in gets reversed.
2. The IDBI APP doesnt seem to function, When I try to recharge by web portal it gets stuck at the debit option and refund occurs. Unable to contact customer care helpline.
3. I was trying to get a new one from PayTM, however not sure if they accept digiLocker RC copy. Customer care number doesnt exist and chat option has only a fixed set of questions thus requesting help here.

My car is about a month old, physical RC card not received as yet from the RTO but received the digiLocker confirmation.

Geography : Bengaluru.

Thanks in advance for support.

[binand]

Originally Posted by johnmraj

My IDBI Fastag doesnt seem to recharge through any APP ( Paytm). What ever recharge I put in gets reversed.

Did you try default netc.vehicleno@tagbank VPA to do a UPI recharge? This is how I do it - and it is part of the minimum requirements set by NPCI and has worked for every bank I have tried so far.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by johnmraj

3. I was trying to get a new one from PayTM, however not sure if they accept digiLocker RC copy. Customer care number doesnt exist and chat option has only a fixed set of questions thus requesting help here.

PayTM accepts Digilocker RC copy and I used it to get my FasTag.

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by johnmraj

Dear patrons,

A couple of questions :

1. My IDBI Fastag doesnt seem to recharge through any APP ( Paytm). What ever recharge I put in gets reversed.
2. The IDBI APP doesnt seem to function, When I try to recharge by web portal it gets stuck at the debit option and refund occurs. Unable to contact customer care helpline.
3. I was trying to get a new one from PayTM, however not sure if they accept digiLocker RC copy. Customer care number doesnt exist and chat option has only a fixed set of questions thus requesting help here.

My car is about a month old, physical RC card not received as yet from the RTO but received the digiLocker confirmation.

Geography : Bengaluru.

Thanks in advance for support.

Please check if the IDBI Fastag is issued based on car registration number or chassis number. Sometimes the dealer gets the tag issued basis chassis number before the RTO allots the number. If that's the case then you can try netc.<chassis number>@idbi for UPI payment.

[attinder]

Originally Posted by johnmraj

Dear patrons,

A couple of questions :

1. My IDBI Fastag doesnt seem to recharge through any APP ( Paytm). What ever recharge I put in gets reversed.

Thanks in advance for support.

I use park+ app to recharge IDBI Fastag. I have only recharged twice so far. No issues.

[avi550m]

I got an SMS and email today saying my HDFC Fastag was debited by Rs. 45 yesterday evening at 17:50 hours even though the car had not gone out anywhere. Any idea how this can happen? Normally I get the SMS or email notification for fastag transaction within 5-15 mins of passing the toll gate but this I got almost 24 hours after the supposed debit of Rs. 45. Is my fastag hacked or anything? I have called and emailed them and they said they will give a refund within 2-3 weeks, but they cannot provide any explanation as to how this can happen.

[kiransri_bng]

Have Airtel Fasttag and trying to cancel it, tried calling call center but not much of a help.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by avi550m

I got an SMS and email today saying my HDFC Fastag was debited by Rs. 45 yesterday evening at 17:50 hours even though the car had not gone out anywhere. Any idea how this can happen? Normally I get the SMS or email notification for fastag transaction within 5-15 mins of passing the toll gate but this I got almost 24 hours after the supposed debit of Rs. 45. Is my fastag hacked or anything? I have called and emailed them and they said they will give a refund within 2-3 weeks, but they cannot provide any explanation as to how this can happen.

When the scanner does not detect the tag, I have experienced that the operator doing manual entry and the deduction got processed after midnight. So I guess the operator might have entered a digit wrongly with manual entry in your case. I believe they will ask the operator to provide image capture for this dispute and reverse the charges once verified.