System Upgrade Information
Improving member service is something Ascend continually strives for. As a result, we will be upgrading our internal operating system beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. The upgrade is scheduled to be completed by normal hours of business on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
We have carefully selected a new system that will support the service you experience today as well as lay the groundwork for future products and services.
You will be able to use your debit, credit and ATM cards to make purchases and withdrawals during the downtime; however, there will not be access to account balances or the ability to transfer funds.
Below are steps to assist you in preparing for the downtime. We appreciate your patience as we upgrade our system, and thank you for your membership.
We encourage you to do the following before the upgrade begins on Feb. 14 to minimize the impact to you:
- Update your contact information such as name, address, home and/or cell phone number(s), and email, prior to Friday, Feb. 14. Ascend makes verifying or updating this information easy with any one of these convenient options:
- Log in to online banking. Click “My Settings” at the very top of the page. If you need to update your contact information, click “Edit” next to the appropriate field to update your information. If you don’t have a home phone number, please provide your cell phone number.
- Call 800-342-3086 and speak with a Contact Center Representative before Feb. 14.
- Visit your nearest Ascend branch before Feb. 14. For a list of all Ascend branches, go to ascend.org/locations.
- Sign up for text messages about the upgrade by visiting ascend.org/text. (Please note these text messages are different from the alerts and notifications that you may have signed up for within online banking.)
- Download and save any online statements that you anticipate needing access to during the upgrade.
- Download and save any cleared check images you may need to reference during the upgrade. Check images stored in online banking prior to Feb. 14 will no longer be accessible after the system upgrade.
- If you need access to your payees in online bill pay, Popmoney and External Transfers, please make a note. Take this opportunity to delete any payees you no longer use.
- Scheduled transfers will process/post as normal. Any non-scheduled transfers in online banking or at an ATM should be completed no later than the end of business on Feb. 13 to allow ample processing time.
- All branches will be closed during the upgrade, so please plan any service requests or transactions accordingly.
- You will be able to:
- Make withdrawals at ATMs.
- Make purchases with your Ascend credit or debit card, both in-store and online. Please plan to make any balance inquiries prior to the upgrade.
- Online banking and Ascend’s mobile app will not be available during the upgrade. Please check your balance and retrieve any additional information you anticipate needing before Feb. 14.
- Any peer-to-peer transactions (Venmo, Paypal, etc.) that are processed as ACH may not work as expected during the upgrade. Please plan accordingly.
- If you will be traveling Feb. 14-18: contact Ascend before Feb. 14 to have a travel note placed on your account so your Ascend debit and credit cards will not be blocked. Or, download the free Card Control by Ascend app and enable location tracking.
- Update your contact information such as name, address, home and/or cell phone number(s), and email, prior to Friday, Feb. 14. Ascend makes verifying or updating this information easy with any one of these convenient options:
A. You will have limited access during the scheduled downtime required for the upgrade. You will be able to:
- Make withdrawals at ATMs.
- Make purchases with your Ascend credit or debit card, both in-store and online. Please plan to make any balance inquiries prior to the upgrade.
All branches, the Contact Center, online banking, Ascend’s mobile app, and STAR telephone teller will be unavailable during the upgrade. Please check your account balances, plan any service requests or transactions, and retrieve any additional information you anticipate needing before Feb. 14.
A. No. The Contact Center will close at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 and will reopen Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 8 a.m. with extended hours for the first week.
A. Yes. Members will be able to make withdrawals from Ascend ATMs during the upgrade.
- However, members will be unable to make balance inquiries or transfer funds at the ATM.
Please plan accordingly.
A. No. All of these electronic services will be unavailable beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 until Tuesday, Feb. 18.
A. You will be able to schedule bill payments and view/adjust your payees until 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14; however, all new online bill pay registrations will be disabled at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Please plan accordingly.
A. Yes. Mobile payment options (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay and Fitbit Pay) will be available during the upgrade.
A. No. All Ascend branches will close at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 and will reopen Tuesday, Feb. 18 at their regularly scheduled times. Monday, Feb. 17 is Presidents Day (a federal holiday), and we’ll be closed. We selected this long holiday weekend for our system upgrade to minimize the inconvenience to our members.
- Please note that safe deposit box access will be unavailable during the upgrade. If you anticipate needing access to your safe deposit box, please make the necessary arrangements to access it prior to Friday, Feb. 14.
A. Ascend’s ITMs will close at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 and will reopen Tuesday, Feb. 18 at their regularly scheduled times. Though teller service will be unavailable, ITMs will continue to function as ATMs. Members will be able to make withdrawals from Ascend ATMs during the scheduled upgrade.
- However, members will be unable to make balance inquiries or transfer funds at the ATM.
- Please plan accordingly.
A. No. All of these electronic services will be unavailable beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 until Tuesday, Feb. 18.
A. All recurring bill payments in online bill pay will process/post as normal. Any non-recurring bill payments in online bill pay should be scheduled no later than the end of business on Feb. 13 to allow ample processing time.
A. Yes. The Card Control by Ascend app should function as normal during the upgrade.
A. You will be able to submit an account application on Ascend’s website until 3 p.m. Feb. 14. From 3 p.m. Feb. 14 until Tuesday, Feb. 18, you will be unable to submit an account application on the website. Please plan accordingly.
Account Security
A. Yes, your accounts are secure. We have done our due diligence to ensure the security of all accounts before, during and after the system upgrade. And, you can rest assured knowing that deposits up to $250,000 are insured by the National Credit Union Administration, an agency of the federal government.
Balance Inquiries
A. No, during the upgrade beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, until regular hours resume on Tuesday, Feb. 18, you will be unable to check your balance via online banking, Ascend’s mobile app, STAR telephone teller, or at ATMs. Please plan to make balance inquiries prior to the upgrade.
Deposits
A. Yes. Incoming direct deposits/payrolls should not be affected. Any payroll that is scheduled to post Friday, Feb. 14 will process as usual. Since Monday, Feb. 17 is Presidents Day (a federal holiday), anything received after Friday will post on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
A. You will be able to make mobile deposits with Ascend’s app until 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. However, any deposits made within the app after 3 p.m. that day will not be processed until Tuesday, Feb. 18. Mobile deposit will not be available while the app is offline. Please plan accordingly.
A. Yes. You will be able to make deposits at Ascend’s ATMs and night deposit boxes after the close of business on Friday, Feb. 14. However, all deposits made at Ascend’s ATMs after close of business on Feb. 14 will not process or be available until Tuesday, Feb. 18. Please plan accordingly.
Transfers
A. Scheduled transfers will process/post as normal. Any non-scheduled transfers in online banking or at an ATM should be completed no later than the end of business on Feb. 13 to allow ample processing time.
Cards
A. Yes. You will be able to make purchases with your Ascend credit or debit card, both in-store and online. Please plan to make any balance inquiries prior to the upgrade.
- Although no issues are expected, we strongly encourage members to have some cash on hand prior to the upgrade as a backup.
A. If your card is lost or stolen on or during the system upgrade window of Feb. 15-17, please call VISA directly to block your card. The phone number is 800-250-9655.
- You also have the option of blocking your Ascend credit or debit card using the Card Control by Ascend app. If you do not have this app, download it from your favorite app store today!
A. If you anticipate needing a new Ascend credit or debit card after Feb. 1, you have two options:
- To have a card mailed to you, please visit your nearest Ascend branch or call 800-342-3086 at least two weeks prior to Feb. 14.
- For instant-issue card requests, please visit your nearest Ascend branch before Feb. 13.
Lending
A. You will be able to submit a loan application at ascend.org until 3 p.m. Feb. 14; however, these applications will not be processed until Feb. 18. From 3 p.m. Feb. 14 until regular hours resume on Tuesday, Feb. 18, you will be unable to submit a loan application. Please plan accordingly.
A. Yes. Indirect lenders will take all the required information for vehicle loans Feb. 14-17. However, processing the loans will be delayed until Tuesday, Feb. 18. Please plan accordingly.