Passing through North Station today I noticed that most if not all of the faregates' fare collection mechanism has been replaced with a new one. Currently it is signed with a big "CharlieCard only" sign but It has a pad for CharlieCards as well as normal contactless from what I saw.
Starting Thursday, October 1, the MBTA begins to upgrade fare gates within the rapid transit system. The work begins at Oak Grove Station on the Orange Line and advances throughout the remainder of the system through December.
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The MBTA anticipates completing 50 percent of the fare gate upgrades by December 2020 with the remaining gates expected to be completed by late 2021. Once a fare gate is upgraded, it will only accept CharlieCards and paper CharlieTickets will no longer be accepted at the upgraded gates. All stations will continue to have fare gates that accept CharlieTickets throughout this transition. Paper CharlieTickets are expected to be phased out in late 2021.
These upgrades are necessary to ensure the reliability of the existing fare collection system. They will also allow for the introduction of the new tappable CharlieTicket, which will be introduced in early 2021.