EC and credit cards without function
Chaos at the checkout: nationwide disruption of card terminals
Almost everyone knows this device – because many supermarkets use it.
© Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / Picture Alliance
Ironically, before the long weekend, card payment terminals cause trouble – and nationwide. As a result, there are long waiting times at the checkouts in many supermarkets.
First Ascension Day, then Bridge Day: Germany is gradually preparing for a long weekend and should plan corresponding purchases. There could be long waiting times not only because of the rush, but also because of the ongoing disruption of many card payment terminals.
The “dpa” reports that there should be failures, especially with devices of the type H5000 from the manufacturer Verifone. The technology magazine “heise” added that there was probably a network failure.
Network error apparently responsible
Accordingly, the software provider Huth reported that payment data could be read but not forwarded. “heise” explains that the communication between the cash register terminals and the banks is apparently faulty.
Both sources say that the companies affected are already working on a solution, but are currently unable to estimate when cashless payment transactions will be working properly again.
The first fault reports were received on Tuesday evening, and the readers were not working in many places on Wednesday morning either. After all: ATMs are currently working without problems and dispensing cash.
In many places only cash payment possible
This in turn is apparently needed at more and more gas stations, as “heise” reports. The first operators are said to have hung signs on the pumps that card payment is currently not possible. The same applies to the counters of transport companies, for example the Bonn public utility company reports that the service centers cannot process card payments.
The manufacturers of the terminals are asking the affected companies not to disconnect the devices at the cash registers from the power supply and not to restart them, otherwise the fault cannot be rectified remotely.
Sources: dpa hot