A widespread IT outage has disrupted administrative services across the Aachen region and North Rhine-Westphalia, beginning Monday evening. The Städteregion Aachen, as well as the cities of Aachen, Eschweiler, and Düren, and communities in the Eifel region are among those affected.
Service Disruptions
The city administration of Aachen is currently unreachable by phone or online. Scheduled appointments at municipal facilities are canceled, schools lack internet access, and city employees are unable to access internal software. The disruption stems from a power outage at a data center belonging to IT service provider Regio IT, which occurred around 7:30 PM on Monday, according to Aachen’s Lord Mayor Michael Ziemons. He stated the issue appears to be a technical defect, with affected hardware components replaced overnight.
Regio IT anticipates that productive operations will likely not be possible today. For “extremely urgent emergencies,” the Aachen city administration can be reached at 0241/4322801 or via email at [email protected]. A dedicated emergency number for cases of suspected child endangerment is also available at 0241/4325151. The administrative building on Hackländer Straße 1 remains open until 4 PM for social welfare emergencies, and pre-arranged appointments at the registry office will proceed as scheduled.
The Städteregion Aachen is also experiencing disruptions, with most authority services currently unavailable. However, most parts of the regional administration are reachable by telephone, as are individual city administrations in Eschweiler, Stolberg, Würselen, Düren, and Monschau, along with the Düren district – all of which utilize Regio IT services. The city of Düren has designated 02424/25-0 for urgent inquiries.
Transportation and Utilities Impacted
The Aseag transportation company is also unreachable by phone. Real-time data is unavailable on electronic displays at stops and within apps. Ticket sales are suspended at customer centers and pre-sale locations. Passengers are advised to employ the Mova and Naveo apps or ticket machines for purchases. The network operator Regionetz and energy provider Stawag are similarly affected, with customer service channels experiencing significant accessibility issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the disruption?
A power outage at a data center belonging to the IT service provider Regio IT is the cause, according to Aachen’s Lord Mayor Michael Ziemons. The outage began around 7:30 PM on Monday.
Are emergency services affected?
No, the outage has not impacted emergency numbers such as 112. The Aachen city administration has also established alternative contact methods for urgent emergencies.
When is full service expected to be restored?
Regio IT anticipates that productive operations will likely not be possible today. The process of restoring software systems is ongoing and will take additional time.
As services remain disrupted, how might residents and businesses adapt to limited access to municipal resources in the short term?