Originally Posted by
mnredfox
Anyone have luck using Discover to pay China Mobile bills at their service halls?
I've tried mine at all three providers for recharge vouchers. Shouldn't bill payments also be processed similarly (system feeds amount to card terminal, swipe, no PIN, go)?
Originally Posted by
jiejie
Bumping this thread up. Any recent (2012) experiences with Discover in China? Where, when, acceptance vs fight with the cashier to try it out on the Unionpay network?
I'm heading back to USA soon for a Family-and-Friends Tour, and am toying with the idea of applying for a Discover card while there. Any merits to getting the debit version (which I think is now offered) over the standard credit card version--from a Chinese system acceptance standpoint?
As I've said a few posts above, a certain few merchants (the most annoying offenders named and shamed) will absolutely not take it no matter the circumstances because it doesn't have a physical UnionPay logo. In Shanghai, most will refuse it at first, but are willing to try it and will be surprised to find that it works.
As for the debit version, the main merit is cash withdrawals; not having to worry about whether the ATM you're using is actually linked into the Plus/Cirrus network or not (I've had problems with ATMs displaying those logos and not actually accepting foreign cards, and even Shanghai has quite a few UnionPay-only ATMs).