ALIS Doofer

[g8vkv]

I've had one of these for about 12 months and to be honest, it hasn't been particularly reliable.

Recently, instead of beeping as we passed through the peage, it started emitting a kind of startled screech and a couple of weeks ago, it gave up the ghost completely.

I assume the battery is duff and so I'm thinking of returning the unit to them for a replacement (by post as we don't live anywhere near to the A28).

Looking through the small print, I see they will charge 35€ for a unit replaced because of  "détérioration" (I assume they'll class a spent battery as détérioration)

Has anyone had one of these replaced because of a dead battery?

G8VKV

[NickP]

[quote user="g8vkv"]I've had one of these for about 12 months and to be honest, it hasn't been particularly reliable.

Recently, instead of beeping as we passed through the peage, it started emitting a kind of startled screech and a couple of weeks ago, it gave up the ghost completely.

I assume the battery is duff and so I'm thinking of returning the unit to them for a replacement (by post as we don't live anywhere near to the A28).

Looking through the small print, I see they will charge 35€ for a unit replaced because of  "détérioration" (I assume they'll class a spent battery as détérioration)

Has anyone had one of these replaced because of a dead battery?

G8VKV
[/quote]

Just apply for another unit for a "second" car.[I]

[g8vkv]

Actually, I think it's my bad.

I think "détérioration" refers to a damaged unit.

I then found this ....

"Par ailleurs, la Société émettrice procédera au remplacement du badge gratuitement par simple échange, pour

prévenir tout incident lié à son usure normale et à sa consommation d’énergie"

... which I guess covers a dead battery.

[andyh4]

Cannot speak for Alice but APRR replaced an old small brick sized doofer with the newer credit card sized one FOC when the battery gave up.

 

Don't worry about the beep though, over 6 years with the old one I had everything from silence, through the quick beep to the strangled gurglings of someone about to die as yiou describe.  The thing still kept on running until finally nothing, no beep and more importantly no openned barrier.

[Gardian]

Just drop in to one of the boutiques at the peage next time you're passing and they'll replace it foc.

They did with mine when the battery flaked out (admittedly after 6 yrs) and furthermore, put me on to a slightly cheaper tariff.

It's not a problem.

[cooperlola]

Gardian, will any autoroute operator replace the doofer, no matter who issued it?  I only ask because ALIS only operates between Rouen and LM.  Not a problem for me, of course, but maybe for some others.

G8vkv, my ALIS doofer is now 4 years old and still working normally on its original battery. 

[andyh4]

Fairly certain that it has to be from the company you got it from.

Each company is responsible for its own billing and this has to be linked to the doofer number and your account number.

By definition a "foreign" autoroute company does not have your account number, and the current autoroute company will not have the new doofer number, and will not automatcially know that the old doofer has been cancelled.

For legal reasons the individual companies should not have direct access from one to another for customer details.

When I changed mine, it was a case, as with Gardian, of into the office en route.  Old doffer was bar scanned (which allows then the cancellation but also brings up all my deatils for billing etc), new doofer was bar scanned ( and linked to my details from the old doofer) and off on my way.  Actually it took a few minutes longer than that since I wanted to change my "forfeit" route at the same time, but within 10 minutes I was on my way.

[Bugsy]

A slight correction, Alis 'doofers' work on all french motorway networks.

Alis questions

.

[andyh4]

No question that they work on all parts of the autoroute network - mine regularly works on 2 company motorways.  The billing process for that is quite straightforward, company B sends company A (the issuer) a statement that doofer number X has covered routes m, n, o at charges of whatever - but not knowing any customer details (which company A alone holds). 

The question is who can change/update one?  And to that I stick by it is only the company who issued it - unless someone knows differently.

[g8vkv]

I emailed them and they replied saying I should send it back to them for a replacement.

A bit of a faff -  next time it fails, I guess I'll change the contract to Escota.

[Nearly Retired (I am now)]

We got our Alis doofer about a year ago. At the time it was the only one which was absolutely free with no monthly cost at all. It even gives a discount on the A28.

May be relevant to changing companies.

[Gardian]

[quote user="andyh4"]

Fairly certain that it has to be from the company you got it from.

[/quote]

You're probably right & I stand corrected.

 

[andyh4]

Well having read APRR's T&Cs I am still not entirely certain.  There seem to be no specific T&Cs relating to telepeage.  The general T&Cs actually make no mention of a doofer (no surprise) or telepeage (somewhat more suprising) but do make mention of subscriptions - which I take to mean the doofer.

 

In which case the relevant comments are:

The device remains at all times the property of the conssessionaire (Autoroute company)

You are not permitted to pass on the device to a third party - which I assume would include another autoroute company for the purposes of exchange.

 

Thinking about it still further, I suspect that the doofers are assigned identity ranges for each Autoroute company - for example SANEF get doofers in the range A0000000 - A1999999, Alis  A 2000000 - A 3999999 etc through ASF X800000 - X9999999. 

This then allows a "foreign" peage toll point to instantly recognise where the bill has to be sent - which other company.

 

In which case a "foreign" company cannot issue a doffer in the right identity range.

 

QED