Information Solo/Maestro Cards

annettetabs

I just thought I would let you know that I have used my solo card on 2 website which say they only accept Maestro or Switch along with the usual Visa/Visa Debit/Mastercard etc.

I have successfully registered for a free 30 day with Experian using my Solo Card but selecting the Maestro/Switch payment option (my solo card does have a maestro logo on the back of the card) and I also purchased a items through Mothercare website again using my Solo card but selecting Maestro as the payment option.

Is this common knowledge and I just hadn't heard about it or realised it.

skyrider007

Thanks for the info. Solo is actually part of the Maestro Network as far as i am concerned. The only difference being the buffer-zone (about 10-20 quids) that Maestro Cards have. Apart from that, the authorisation process is carried out in the same manner.

C_Ronaldo

Yep solo is part of the same group as switch maestro

BruceyBonus

Waterstones website specifically says it doesn't take Solo. Choose Switch/Maestro and you Solo card will work.

This doesn't work with Woolworths though.

skylight

I do this with my Solo where is says Maestro.

Doesn't work on M&S or the Disney Store though!

PaulW922

Solo is actually a distinct card scheme to Maestro - although it is correct both are run over the same infrastructure. There are still places that don't take Solo - most railway stations for example. In practice I think a large number of retailers can process Solo but just don't know it, or promote it. Online retailers even more so..

ShelfStacker_3

PaulW922 wrote: »

Solo is actually a distinct card scheme to Maestro - although it is correct both are run over the same infrastructure. There are still places that don't take Solo - most railway stations for example. In practice I think a large number of retailers can process Solo but just don't know it, or promote it. Online retailers even more so..

Railways don't take Solo for technical reasons; it requires online authorisation, which the train companies don't support.

Solo is just Maestro with no floor limit, basically (i.e. no amount under which a transaction won't be authorised online). You can tell a Solo is a Solo from the card number (begins 6767) but to all intents and purposes Maestro and Solo are the same.

heatherks

skylight wrote: »

I do this with my Solo where is says Maestro.

Doesn't work on M&S or the Disney Store though!

my card clearly states Maestro on it and M&S won't accept it ..phoned them up after two orders declined and they claim my card is a solo and they dont accept that & to speak to my bank

stclair

Just to let you know solo cards will not be a valid payment method after 31/03/11 as it been decommissioned.

savagej

Yep, it is being decommissioned so this option wont work any more, or should not work as they are deleting the whole BIN range so it cant work. But they are moving 2 SOLO BIN numbers to Maestro, so your card may actually be now seen as a Maestro card. I will try and find out the 2 number ranges they are not deleting.

simax

The 2 BIN's that are being "converted" to Maestro are:

6767 70xx
6767 74xx

Hope that helps