In June 2023, some innovations and changes will come into effect in the area of technology and digital. TECHBOOK gives an overview of the changes that are pending in the current month.
In July, consumers have to adapt to several changes, all of which are in the digital environment. For example, the Girocard loses its Maestro function, DHL increases the prices for certain packages, the e-prescription is introduced and a new mobile discounter in the Telekom network is launched. TECHBOOK briefly summarizes the adjustments.
Maestro function will be discontinued
The end of the Maestro function on Girocards has been announced for a while. The change will come into effect from July: The banks and savings banks will no longer issue new Maestro cards. However, if you still have a card with the Maestro logo, you can use it as usual until its expiry date. After that, they are replaced with alternatives. This can either be a Girocard with V-Pay or a debit card that can be used for payments abroad.
Maestro was introduced by Mastercard in 1991 to give the Girocard a payment option for abroad. At that time, Maestro was considered a kind of revolution, because the service made the previously used checks and traveler’s checks superfluous. But 30 years after the introduction of the function, it is no longer up-to-date. More and more people are shopping online and need a suitable means of payment to do so. However, the Girocard cannot be used for this because it does not support online payment. More and more banks are therefore relying on more modern card solutions.
You can read more about the end of the Maestro function here: Maestro disappears from Girocard – with consequences for customers
DHL increases prices for certain packages
Exactly one year after DHL’s last price increase, some packages will become more expensive again from July. Those affected are primarily heavy packages from 10 kilograms, for which the price in national shipping increases by up to 3 euros. But DHL will also dig deeper into its pockets for various services such as transport insurance, the delivery of bulky goods or cash on delivery.
International shipping is also more expensive. Within the EU, DHL charges between 50 cents and 3.50 euros more for a package as a result of the change from July – depending on the weight of the delivery. If you send your delivery to more distant regions, you have to pay even more. This results in a price increase of up to 100 percent for certain packages. Deliveries to Australia or Oceania are affected.
You can read the full details of the current price adjustment here: Price increase at DHL! These packages will be more expensive
New mobile operator in the Telekom network
With Share Mobile, a new prepaid provider will start on July 3rd, which uses the Telekom network and whose basic structure is based on the offers from Congstar. Share Mobile is initially offering two all-network flat rates, with these offering either 4 GB or 8 GB of data. The tariffs differ from other prepaid options on the market in two key respects. For one, they have a billing period of 30 days instead of just 28, which saves users almost a month over the year. On the other hand, Share Mobile donates 1 euro of the monthly basic costs to a social project that supports education in Kenya. If you want to book one of the all-network flat rates from Share Mobile, you pay 10 euros (4 GB) or 15 euros (8 GB). A detailed tariff comparison with all the advantages and disadvantages of the new offers can be found here:
New prepaid provider advertises “Tut Gutes” tariffs – what’s behind it?
E-prescription starts in July
A change in July affects the classic prescription from the doctor. The redemption options via the e-prescription app and the digital code in the doctor’s office as a paper printout already exist. Redeeming via the insurance card is new from July. The digital code can be stored on the health card and read out in the pharmacy using the reader. The prerequisite for issuing such a prescription is that the medical practice is technically able to store the code for the e-prescription on the insurance card. The pharmacy’s software must also be updated accordingly.
Switching to the e-prescription is a process that will take some time. Patients will therefore continue to receive the classic paper prescription in individual cases. Because the medical practices are not yet obliged to take care of the technical implementation. However, it is planned that doctors will only issue e-prescriptions from January 1, 2024.