Nabilah S
In an ongoing attempt to enhance their ATM services, BSP is deploying 120 new ATMs.In the National Capital District (NCD), 27 outdated machines have already been replaced, and 93 more will be installed in NCD and Lae by the end of March 2023, according to Daniel Faunt, general manager of BSP PNG Retail Group.
With these new devices, performance has greatly improved. For instance, last week saw a 91% uptime for the new ATMs installed at Vision City.
Additionally, the Waterfront, TST 4 Mile, BSP Haus, Badili, Koki, and Harbour City locations have these new machines installed. In the upcoming weeks, ATMs at Port Moresby General Hospital, BSP Gordons Commercial Center, and Port Moresby Branch will be replaced.
BSP has implemented a variety of additional steps in addition to new ATM installations, which has improved ATM uptimes.
These include software updates, better online monitoring capabilities, more resources for managing ATMs, and technical staff training.Faunt stated that because all BSP ATMs carry, there is never a connection between ATM interruptions and cash availability.
The banking system has more than enough liquidity and sufficient cash levels. He claimed that while the BSP works hard to guarantee that ATM-quality cash is available through the muting procedures, sometimes the poor quality of PNG bank notes does have an adverse effect on ATM hardware.
In PNG, BSP manages a fleet of 330 ATMs, 121 of which are located in NCD. ATM outages may be brought on by a variety of internal and external sources.
The operating hardware and software of the ATM machines, a sufficient supply of acceptable quality notes, and the availability of resources to maintain ATMs both inside bank buildings and at remote ATMs are examples of internal variables.
General security conditions, accessibility to remote locations where ATMs are located, the availability of power and backup generator power, and the quality and amount of currency in different denominations are all examples of external factors. BSP Deputy Chief Operating Officer Guy Thomas said BSP monitors ATMs 24/7 to ensure BSP is aware of difficulties as soon as they arise. “The vast majority of outages continue to be caused both by note quality and owing to more frequent and protracted power failures throughout the country,” Font noted.
Many problems can be fixed remotely, so there will only be a brief period of outage. When bank notes and credit cards become stuck, ATMs will need a maintenance engineer to take care of the equipment. Now that additional teams of specialists are working, they can more easily reach the locations that require assistance. John stated.
In order for BSP employees to respond to any non-operational ATM machines as quickly as possible, BSP advises consumers to contact the BSP Call Center. BSP also promotes using digital tools, such as BSP Mobile Banking, which is a much safer and more practical channel for consumers to use, to carry out their transactions. Customers can also obtain cash-back services at any EFTPOS shops and through the BSPS network of more than 250 agents if they need cash.
