Tmoney top-ups fail to register with network outage

Users attempting to top up their Tmoney cards found that the funds were withdrawn from their accounts but not reflected in their card balance.

People line up to book tickets at Gwangju Central Bus Terminal after transportation card provider Tmoney's server came back online after it went down on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Cases of failed top-ups and account transfers followed on the heels of transportation card provider Tmoney's network outage on Sunday.

According to Tmoney on Monday, some users who topped up their transportation cards via account transfer the previous day said the funds were withdrawn from their account, but the card wasn’t recharged.

Users also voiced their frustration in online communities and on social media with complaints like, “I paid 20,000 won ($14.40), but for some reason, [my card] wasn’t recharged,” and “I need to recharge my Tmoney, but the system is entirely down.”

Tmoney is investigating these cases and plans to develop a compensation plan.

“An error may have occurred due to the network outage, and we are investigating similar cases,” said a spokesperson from the company. “We will prepare a compensation plan for affected customers.”

The system malfunction occurred at 1:06 p.m. the previous day at Tmoney’s Bupyeong data center, resulting in a service outage.

The number of users waiting to buy tickets in the app exceeded 100,000 at 1:43 p.m.

Until the card provider's system was restored approximately 90 minutes later, ticket-booking and verification were unavailable, causing significant inconveniences for passengers using express and intercity buses.

About 140 terminals were affected, including the Seoul Express Bus Terminal in Seocho District, southern Seoul. It was reported that some taxis using Tmoney experienced issues with trip registration and fare collection as well.

Each terminal activated an emergency ticketing system, switching to on-site reservations and issuing tickets for cash. In cases where bus departure times were imminent, passengers were allowed to board after only their personal details were verified.

An error in the Tmoney network lasted over an hour in October 2021, also disrupting ticketing operations at Seoul Express Bus Terminal.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]