There are almost no card terminals working in Norway right now.
Just updated
– We are talking about maybe 120,000 to 130,000 terminals. Then we talk in practice all the terminals throughout Norway, says Pål Andre Fredriksen, CEO of Verifone, to VG.
– I have worked here in this industry for 15 years, it is the first time I experience something similar. The infrastructure in Norway is good compared to other countries. It is clear that this is definitely a wrong day to go down on, he says – and aims for the May 17 celebration on Tuesday.
– I would guess that this is so serious that we should expect error correction within a maximum of one hour, I think. Because this is such a big crisis.
While VG has him on the line, Fredriksen’s phone is ringing hot.
– Now I got confirmation that all the terminals are affected, he says.
Fredriksen explains that the payment trouble on Monday is most likely a common mistake in the reception of the payment machines – which in one way is a good thing, he emphasizes.
– This means that all people who have something to do with this are working on this now, Fredriksen says to VG.
– What do you want to say to everyone who is a little stressed now because they have to shop until 17 May?
– They will soon be able to use the terminal in a normal way again. I am absolutely sure of that, he says, and adds:
– It’s a bit of our job, we should not be front page ads. But you now notice how dependent people are on the payment system. And that really means that pretty much everything works very well.
Even those who have taken the trip to Vinmonopolet before the national day, have had to go home empty-handed on Monday afternoon.
– It seems that it is something more central, more pharmacies and grocery chains are experiencing the same thing, says press officer at Vinmonopolet Halvor Bing Lorentzen to VG.
– We operate and work with the technical now, and have no answer to what it could be, he says.
Several report long queues in grocery stores, and that it is only possible to pay with cash.
Sara Zameri was to buy lunch at Rema 1000 in Bjørndal in Oslo when the error occurred.
– I stood in line for half an hour, she says to VG.
Without cash, she did not get the goods out of the store, as neither Vipps nor bank cards worked.
– I had to register my goods, and will be called back when it works, she says.
Danske Nets is one of the largest suppliers of bank terminals in this country, they tell E24 that they have operational disruptions which they «are working hard to rectify. We apologize to customers “, confirms press officer Peter Glüsing to E24.
The status pages of Nets state that there is an ongoing problem with payment online and in terminals throughout Norway.
– There are ongoing investigations, they write.
Norway’s largest bank DNB reports that they are aware of the problem, but that the fault does not lie with them.
