[AusNOG] EFPOST terminals down

[John Edwards]

Tips are low priority areas for mobile coverage. They are deliberately
built where no-one else is, such that they would account for the majority
of an expensive mobile sector.

I imagine that most EFTPOS terminals are still 3G. If 3G failed, most of us
with a smartphone less than 5 years old wouldn't notice.

So if there's a 3G network failure:

   - Terminals would usually migrate to another cell, there are probably
   not multiple cells covering a tip
   - There is still LTE coverage there, so no customers are screaming for
   the failure to be fixed
   - The network is aging so failure is common
   - Parts are hard to get or expensive because its old
   - Social Distancing is mutually exclusive to how teams of mobile network
   riggers normally operate, so there's a backlog of faults
   - Coverage of a tip with a handful of regular customers is low priority
   for a fix, no manager is escalating this over other faults
   - Some WFH people nearby are smashing the local 3G network with their
   old USB 3G adapters that are now on an unlimited download plan

In summary, it's probably not a cyberattack.

John






On Mon, 22 Jun 2020 at 01:00, Chris Hurley <chris at dragonrail.com.au> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Has anyone else noticed experience a large increase in EFPOST terminals
> being down?  With CoVid a lot of end users have switched to EFPOST only
> transactions but in the last 72 hrs we have noticed end users complaining
> and a number of sites now only accepting cash eg local council tips – Why a
> hacker would target a tip go figure.
>
> Regards,
>
> Chris Hurley BE (Elec)
> Signal Manager
>
> ******************************************************
> Dragon Rail Pty Ltd     Phone: 1300 730 531
> PO Box 9110
> Scoresby,  3179 Victoria
>
> Australia
> ******************************************************
>
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