Bugs, network problems… will Monapass improve in 2023?

Monaco Tribune spoke to the Smart City team, the Government department that is working on the Extended Monaco programme. It is responsible for changing, fixing and improving the Monapass mobility application. 

Monapass has registered over 2,000 daily users since the start of 2023. The transport application, like others, is sometimes a victim of its own success and this is reflected in some of the complaints from users. “I can’t get a ticket,” “the application just shuts itself down,” it has been said on social media. What is planned for Monapass this year?

Network? what network?!

As commuters know, the network can be unpredictable in Monaco. Only Orange users are spared, because there is ‘shared territorial continuity’ with Monaco Telecom. Obviously, when you’re trying to buy a bus ticket on Monapass, a bad internet connection can be a problem.

“Between now and the end of the year, agreements will be signed between Monaco Telecom and the other telecoms operators so that Bouygues, Free and SFR users will have better network quality,” Smart City announces. Agreements that will no doubt be  similar to the one Orange signed in March 2014, making its 4G network available in Monaco.

Monapass should also feature an Offline mode in the coming weeks. “This will be a button within the application. Users will be able to use and validate their tickets without logging in, but they won’t be able to buy them when that mode is activated,” we were told.

“My application shuts down by itself”

The best advice from the Extended Monaco programme is to update Monapass regularly: “some smartphones carry out the update automatically but not all of them do. An outdated version of the application can cause this bug.”

And there are many Monapass updates, past and future. “Work has already been done to improve ticket validation on board, making it easier to position the QR code.  In addition we are still following a development roadmap, trying to improve certain application features and develop others,” we are assured.

In the near future, Monapass should also include notifications, which will appear when the application is open. These notifications will include, among other things, “new promotional offers.” These updates are carried out directly by the application’s developer, Flowbird.

Monabike: issues with bank cards

This is a difficulty that the Smart City team identified in the two applications used for Monabike: Monapass and PBSC, an application for self-service bicycle use. “The registered credit card may no longer work for payments if the user has not used the apps for over a year. It is a security measure. Users need to update the bank card in the app [even if it is the same card].”

Whatever difficulty or bug users encounter, Smart City urges everyone to go to the Monapass website and fill out a contact form. “We will always answer, our aim is to help the users,” concluded our contact.