Citizen services New self-service terminal being tested in Bonn

Bonn · The City of Bonn is testing out a self-service terminal in its citizen services center. It is hoped that such terminals will save people from waiting in long lines in the future.

Sensors in the gray mat detect when someone steps on it. It is located directly in front of the self-service terminal, which some people in Bonn have made use of recently. One can do things like registering a new address or requesting a police certificate of good conduct - without an appointment and without any waiting time. And when the terminal user walks away, all information is wiped away immediately as the mat detects the person is no longer standing there. The self-service terminal is currently in a test phase for three months.

The city has high hopes that the terminals could reduce the long waiting lines and provide some relief for employees, the current system having come under intense criticism. Before the summer holidays, people had to wait up to five weeks for an appointment.

City considers purchasing more terminals

During the test phase, a Deutsche Telekom staff member is near by to help users if necessary. The Bonn Dax company is involved because it is responsible for the technology inside the terminal and has a patent on it. In the long term, however, it is expected that citizens will be able to use the terminals without help. Much is dependent on the success of the test run and how well the self-service terminals are accepted by the people.

More than 15 different services can be performed on the terminals, but some of them require the ID function of the new personal identification card with pin number. And some services will always require an appointment with personnel, for example when it comes to applying for a new identification card.

Terminals in other locations

Dusseldorf and Merseburg in Saxony-Anhalt are also testing the terminals. “The terminal is very well received in Düsseldorf," explains Günter Weick from Buergerservice.org. If the testing phase also goes well in Bonn, the city wants to acquire several terminals. This would include at least two for the service center in the Bonn city administration building and also terminals for the branch offices in Beuel, Bad Godesberg and Hardtberg. Each unit costs between 4000 and 7000 euros depending on the equipment.

(Orig. text: Nadine Klees, Translation: Carol Kloeppel)

Meistgelesen
Neueste Artikel
Zum Thema
Aus dem Ressort