Inconvenience to citizens and businesses

Bankitalia: payments restored, except for some credit cards

According to Worldline, gas pipe installation work by local authorities severely damaged our supplier's cables and network

28 November 2024articolo aggiornato il 29 novembre alle 16,20

4' min read

The Bank of Italy informs in a note that "the monitoring activities of the operational difficulties that have affected some credit and debit card payment services since yesterday, 28 November, have continued. On the basis of the most recent updates provided by the operator affected by the malfunctions," the note continues, "services have been restored with the exception of some types of credit card payments. Work is continuing to return to full operation'.

Thus, the problems that have plagued European payment circuits including Bancomat, PagoBancomat and Nexi in Italy since Thursday 28 November have been largely but not entirely resolved. In an attempt to put a temporary remedy to the disruptions, the company responsible for the problem, the French Worldline, "tried to activate a transitional mode to allow users to use their cards and ATMs, but this failed". This was explained by sources close to the company, adding that 'later in the afternoon [on Friday 29 November ndr], some updates on the situation should be forthcoming', but that at the moment it remains 'on hold, without any major news on the matter'.

Previously, the Bank of Italy had said it was 'monitoring the operational difficulties that have occurred in some credit and debit card payment services since late yesterday morning, 28 November, and that are causing inconvenience to citizens and businesses'.

So says Via Nazionale in a note in which it explains the inefficiencies are attributable to operational issues (damage to a physical infrastructure) recorded by a technology provider. The supplier, the Bank of Italy adds, is taking the necessary steps to mitigate the disruption to the operation of the infrastructure and the services provided.

The authorities continue to monitor the situation in cooperation with the operators within the CODISE for the gradual restoration of services to users and, as soon as possible, full operations. Codise is the structure, created in 2003, for the coordination of operational crises in the Italian financial centre. It is chaired by the Bank of Italy and is attended by Consob and systemically relevant financial sector operators.

Worldine's clarification

The cause of the technical problems on the national network that impacted some credit and debit card payment services yesterday 28 November 'has been identified. The installation of gas pipes by the local authorities severely damaged our supplier's cables and network'.

This was announced in a Worldline note, which added: 'The restoration work by our supplier is expected to begin later today.

In the meantime, Worldline 'is working tirelessly to identify potential solutions to reactivate services, pending the restoration of the physical infrastructure,' he continues.

The inefficiencies reported by the payment circuits concerned

Even Nexi informs, in a note, that the issue has not yet been resolved by Worldline.

'Worldline,' it added, 'has indicated that it is working to identify potential alternative solutions to reactivate services, pending the restoration of the damaged physical infrastructure. At the moment, we have not yet received any firm information on the timing of the resolution'.

With regard to the impact in Italy, it is pointed out that 'only payment services operated through Worldline infrastructures are affected, for which the latter is solely responsible'.

Nexi "continues to constantly monitor the technical tables and has already strengthened its support channels for its partners and end customers". Pending updates from the French group on the timing of the resolution, Nexi informs that it has launched an investigation and reserves all appropriate action to protect the interests of the company and its customers.

Nexi Payments had received a report from Worldline on 28 November of an 'incident relating to a general and widespread network outage in Italy' that had impacted some payment services.

After Nexi, Bancomat and Pagobancomat also received a communication from Worldline, which also referred to an incident 'relating to a general and widespread network outage in Italy'.

The "inefficiency detected as of 11:25 a.m. concerning the Bancomat and Pagobancomat circuits, according to what has been communicated to us, is attributable to the problem reported by Worldline of a generic and widespread network outage incident in Italy, which is having an impact on various payment services," reads a note issued by Bancomat.

Confesercenti: lost sales of 100 million euro

In the face of the payment circuit malfunctions, Confesercenti speaks of a real 'Black Friday' for electronic money and for neighbourhood shops that have seen customers leave and sales and business disappear. The traders' association intervenes on the blocking of electronic payments via POS caused by a problem in the Worldline network and explains that one shop in four, among its members, reported problems with the use of electronic money and the consequent impossibility of making payments, except in cash. The lost sales are estimated at around EUR 100 million. Confesercenti reserves the right to consider appropriate action to protect the entire category: "The situation that has arisen in recent days and the non-total reliability of the system that governs electronic money confirm the absurdity of the proposal to completely overcome the use of cash.

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