Switch/Maestro - A marriage made in hell (Switch Card Services)

Member Name: pjayem1964

Product:	Switch Card Services
Date:	01/12/03 (3879 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Switch can be used on the internet, No bills at the end of the month, Accepted in most places in UK

Disadvantages: Maestro can't be used on the internet, Maestro not as versatile as Switch

Switch is the UK's number one debit card and is used by over 23 million people in the UK. In recent times Switch has brought out an advertising campaign to show the marriage of the UK Switch card and the European Maestro debit card, a card which in reality is not much better than Visa Electron or Solo, i.e. can't be used over the internet, also known as a point of sale card.

The Switch card can be used practically anywhere in the UK, and on the internet, and in the UK has a cashback facility in shops if you want it.

So once the Switch logo disappears on the UK's debit cards in the next couple of years, and Maestro takes over, will we see Maestro improved to Switch popularity and ability to be used over the internet, or will Switch get dragged down to Maestro's level and be little more than a glorified cashpoint card with a face-to-face Visa Electron style facility.

I hope and pray that it's not the latter.


Switch gets *****
Maestro gets **

Summary: