sbiddle:wellygary:LennonNZ:Banks don't send them in a working state (All the ones I've had in the past make you ring the bank up or use it once in a Hole in a the Wall machine first) so I don't think they are classed as Bank/Debit cards until they are actually turned on.
Every card I have been posted from a Bank has "worked straight out of the box" the existing PIN number is carried across and the Card is ready to run, no need to call anyone...
Who is your bank?
.
ANZ,