TAN hotline overloaded - infected people not getting through and giving up

[vaubaehn]

Which hotline

TAN hotline

What is missing

Enough staff that can pick up calls from users

Why should it be included

To enable more users to warn their contacts

Additional information

Hi there, according to current Google Play Store reviews for CWA, the telephone hotline for TANs (entering TAN to warn risk contacts) is overloaded! People are waiting >30min, many are giving up... Resulting in many people not getting warned about their infection risk. It looks like that the responsible companies have not been prepared for the higher incidence rates, and too less people are currently on phone to pick up user calls.

Is there anything you can do from your side, e.g., @thomasaugsten to forward a red alert to the responsible people? Thank you in advance!

cc: @dsarkar @heinezen

---

17.11.2021

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.rki.coronawarnapp&reviewId=gp%3AAOqpTOHDapzxGQivmkPMCqrqxJLvLJKZ1A91kFN8fzCIt-7tMuxv9frQkiMeP_AMrrNB81Ss9L7-6Bmt4J0Sxg

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.rki.coronawarnapp&reviewId=gp%3AAOqpTOFoS3n2wK8ZX1wmImRqqvscgu2rH_6wxUj6YsRyLNr99NTtXjkRE_5wYJeQ-FwT1adnb4J-9wIgeTA0KQ

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.rki.coronawarnapp&reviewId=gp%3AAOqpTOEIuJr8gmWNj7WC8U9R7FX6JZXkGGGSj-IVScR3mWca5BDeLW6FlRjsVDXWnEi2_YvjcMHNg_gPQhPMMg

18.11.2021

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.rki.coronawarnapp&reviewId=gp%3AAOqpTOGybTPRzpd_dydgFFWwxFJzzXMMPM5DLnoGtbHkCN4IktI7Ju9BIqMq8ky1peWD0wFYUFKPDRiFdpw1-w

---

Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-10939

[vaubaehn]

Aaaand twitter reports:

https://twitter.com/RA_AndrBach/status/1460881152382836742?s=20

[Ein-Tim]

Here's someone complaining that the TAN hotline did not call back: https://twitter.com/fraujen2/status/1459107240565260288?s=21

[vaubaehn]

@Ein-Tim That twitter report is from November 12th. According to https://www.coronawarn.app/en/analysis/ for many months there has been requests for TANs <300 daily. Since beginning of November there is a strong increase of TANs, since end of last week there are remarkable peeks. So the problem may already exist for some days, and now very quickly going worse...

[vaubaehn]

Good evening, @daniel-eder I just found out that TSI is responsible for the TAN hotline. Are you able to forward the urgent problem reported here to the related parties? Thank you in advance for your feedback!

[daniel-eder]

Hi @vaubaehn, thank you for the report and for the ping. I'm not directly involved with the Hotline, but I'll forward this to our internal stake holders, although i suspect they are aware of the issue (if all operators are on 24/7 with long waiting times for callers that is visible internally as well)

[vaubaehn]

Dear @daniel-eder , perfect, thanks a lot. Then we'll most likely see a better response from the call center soon. Have a relaxing night!

[Ein-Tim]

@dsarkar

Can you relabel this issue to bug, please?

---

Another Twitter report: "Gestern vier mal bei der Hotline der @coronawarnapp angerufen um mir einen TAN zu besorgen. Vier mal wurde ich aus der Leitung gekegelt.. Dann melden wir uns halt nicht #Covid_19 #CoronaWarnApp"

[vaubaehn]

Here are also two more reports in Google Play Store from today:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.rki.coronawarnapp&reviewId=gp%3AAOqpTOGWNcMZVEJNxVHS7UjnkcqOgWMpOCPR-HEa4QTiYPEOF1Gg_LGUef6CjwpvpaXopn-ukfnGLeO4rEHw9g

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.rki.coronawarnapp&reviewId=gp%3AAOqpTOFWALCA6aB73zPxi9lpyFX09TwgxW4zDDfbCexz-70RytZM4MVtQ17SbZvSQMymKsgbG6dskj3Z9c1edw

it's sad that it's still an issue.

And combined with the other issue, that people can't register their test QR codes, it's kind of a catastrophe currently.

[Ein-Tim]

Another Twitter report: "Ich mag keine Wut-Posts. Der muss aber sein: Ich versuche seit einer Stunde das positive Testergebnis eines Familienmitglieds in die #CoronaWarnApp zu bekommen. Kein QR-Code funktioniert. Bei der Hotline nach 20 Minuten Warteschleife aufgelegt. Projekt ist mMn leider gescheitert."

[Ein-Tim]

UPDATE: This list is no longer updated

Twitter reports (this list will be extended over time):

• https://twitter.com/baganabarand/status/1462004533131984897?s=21
• https://twitter.com/vanessa26970376/status/1462050904924958723?s=21
• https://twitter.com/holsten1982/status/1462149382044884995?s=20
• https://twitter.com/brealbfar/status/1462370954508652548?s=21
• https://twitter.com/preu_chris/status/1462740225726337032?s=20
• https://twitter.com/lofjoh/status/1463197663361486851?s=20
• https://twitter.com/kirshteinkoos/status/1484209260754083840?s=20
• https://twitter.com/ChristianGunkel/status/1483916588495646720?s=20
• https://twitter.com/derfuchsifuchs/status/1484599448323960837?s=20
• https://twitter.com/danpoetz/status/1485679520225050624?s=20
• https://twitter.com/Sheepcloud_/status/1485730117536124928?s=20
• https://twitter.com/phry/status/1485217288055840769?s=20
• https://twitter.com/blumenmedchen/status/1485179027241553920?s=20
• https://twitter.com/KatrinHemminger/status/1484946162184605700?s=20
• https://twitter.com/tobiasdigital/status/1486280420769603588?s=20
• https://twitter.com/almaundich/status/1486305953599348743?s=20
• https://twitter.com/muellerfelix/status/1486305905964732424?s=20
• https://twitter.com/SoWieTaubeMitR/status/1486300234984706052?s=20
• https://twitter.com/LexaMumDE/status/1486386275821232136?s=20
• https://twitter.com/Helmholtz1984/status/1486378200548712452?s=20
• https://twitter.com/black_falcon161/status/1486607354342821894?s=20
• https://twitter.com/LarsStegemann/status/1486610430822916097?s=20
• https://twitter.com/aguleB/status/1486612285758050306?s=20
• https://twitter.com/DerHeyji/status/1486633837266362369?s=20
• https://twitter.com/SkaveRat/status/1486663863676375045?s=20
• https://twitter.com/annika_tillmann/status/1486690605103263750?s=20
• https://twitter.com/ABS0LEM/status/1486745740600877065?s=20
• https://twitter.com/annika_tillmann/status/1486690605103263750?s=20
• https://twitter.com/powersocke/status/1487391970276356102?s=21
• https://twitter.com/miphoni/status/1487358950374875142?s=21
• https://twitter.com/anni_we_/status/1487353498106830851?s=21
• https://twitter.com/steinesammlerin/status/1487362255259906050?s=21
• https://twitter.com/pixel_schubse/status/1487379118664699905?s=21
• https://twitter.com/felixge/status/1488211973548433408
• https://twitter.com/quasimordor/status/1488210559057248256
• https://twitter.com/MarVoi30/status/1488428859024420864?s=20&t=2lmKvXh8z5Et1kCDmhTMYQ
• https://twitter.com/MarinaSommer4/status/1488806029957738496?s=20&t=4hDpPxnYTpYNOlVRxlitdw
• https://twitter.com/der_raddler/status/1488942778897903622?s=20&t=48HRq1abfcLVdGSI_KJTaQ
• https://twitter.com/Ingo_GER/status/1489300534062419969?s=20&t=2d5j_1SEaPvSpLyEV8LtVQ
• https://twitter.com/MR28784178/status/1489664231356129285?s=20&t=ex97vxfGdt8xT4TmzNodeg
• https://twitter.com/AhClio/status/1491483213868544001?s=20&t=8SWHC1-Eoo49RuqP7rIaOQ
• https://twitter.com/lukas_llk/status/1491480312873897988?s=20&t=8SWHC1-Eoo49RuqP7rIaOQ
• https://twitter.com/Harald_SGE/status/1492053847216381952?s=20&t=1jiXvxBI6tkuS5nRqXRnXA
• https://twitter.com/n0d4ys0ff/status/1492048615212204032?s=20&t=1jiXvxBI6tkuS5nRqXRnXA
• https://twitter.com/_mihani_/status/1492199752255082498?s=20&t=ExEQgD_mabR-sWpzcQXVbw
• https://twitter.com/bext0n/status/1492188418641743879?s=20&t=ExEQgD_mabR-sWpzcQXVbw
• https://twitter.com/DieweisseDame/status/1499833977066205184
• https://twitter.com/19mayo87/status/1501651935019085826?s=21
• https://twitter.com/KaffeeJunkie/status/1501918683375058947?s=20&t=h-U7zDfe813eCEu6GMGIUg
• https://twitter.com/BCinME/status/1501966296937897985?s=20&t=_urY3RTX-Q7am25JHgkqPg
• https://twitter.com/janji/status/1501982712512532483?s=21
• https://twitter.com/pxxsxx/status/1501983390706323459?s=21
• https://twitter.com/piratophil/status/1502245479375122437?s=20&t=4HWEXQmOxeZk4DfSutuE5Q
• https://twitter.com/janji/status/1502250826403876867?s=20&t=4HWEXQmOxeZk4DfSutuE5Q
• https://twitter.com/Brumm85/status/1502351001390616584?s=20&t=QfHuuAshPfi9QtaMKRKXvg
• https://twitter.com/fortuna_blue/status/1502385532512481288?s=20&t=yYMdRBdXfjncDngxkNulfw
• https://twitter.com/theTwayne7/status/1502359733025529858?s=20&t=yYMdRBdXfjncDngxkNulfw
• https://twitter.com/tbt025/status/1502924195067531264?s=20&t=nwpJMr2Wffamhz_8vyvGzw
• https://twitter.com/DueCapucci/status/1502605544820981762?s=20&t=3GT13-eO8Jm3o8XWtJW5Lg
• https://twitter.com/r1hard/status/1502717556234330118?s=20&t=3GT13-eO8Jm3o8XWtJW5Lg
• https://twitter.com/MrLarOli/status/1503449580582617094?s=20&t=8SB97ih4r7lR9ZoDEc1FLQ
• https://twitter.com/alexistaga/status/1503823662826274817?s=21
• https://twitter.com/lindnerreal/status/1503982848168112129?s=21
• https://twitter.com/seelenquetscher/status/1504005350315499524?s=21
• https://twitter.com/kkevin512/status/1504044180758306816?s=21
• https://twitter.com/df2jbpeter/status/1504133668700364808?s=21
• https://twitter.com/einpinsel/status/1504123172119101447?s=21
• https://twitter.com/33_rpm_blog/status/1504161937281667080?s=21
• https://twitter.com/r1hard/status/1504364234477551618?s=21
• https://twitter.com/eddieoppermann/status/1504360984097525764?s=21
• https://twitter.com/karen_sgm/status/1504359019837853698?s=21
• https://twitter.com/phboxleitner/status/1504415176858259461?s=21
• https://twitter.com/btk1975/status/1504379549659934721?s=21
• https://twitter.com/stigi/status/1504379571310718977?s=21
• https://twitter.com/hopps25/status/1504434993866719245?s=21
• https://twitter.com/rovline/status/1504495918066057222?s=20&t=NMevk6XxRtTK5er4NP8qqA
• https://twitter.com/osrampart/status/1504829677243977731?s=21
• https://twitter.com/Silvileo_x/status/1504858695741714435?s=20&t=QoKq4elUO2sbbDtI61ZGDQ

[Ein-Tim]

@daniel-eder & @thomasaugsten

Is there any improvement planned here?

[thomasaugsten]

Please forward the collection to the corona warn mail of the RKI

[Ein-Tim]

@thomasaugsten

You mean I should send the list of affected Twitter users to coronawarnapp@rki.de?

[thomasaugsten]

Yes there have maybe a communication to handle this

[Ein-Tim]

@thomasaugsten Okay, done. The hotline is not under influence of TSI/SAP?

[thomasaugsten]

The hotline is not related to the GitHub here. This is the reason to communicate the issue directly.

[MikeMcC399]

Although the hotline issue is not well suited to being reported here in GitHub, it would be good to know if there are any agreed metrics for the TAN hotline (Service Level Agreement).

Typical call center software will report on such metrics as:

• Number / percentage of lost calls
• Number of answered calls
• Call waiting times (shortest, average, longest)
• Call duration

so I would assume that the management of the TAN hotline is well aware that there is an issue.

There hasn't been any real feedback here so we don't know if there is a technical issue with the hotline or if there are simply insufficient call agents available to handle the current call volume.

[daniel-eder]

Any insights into the contractual situation or even the metrics really can only be given by the client, in this case the RKI. They do not have an official presence here, so the best we can do is communicate anything mentioned here internally. That said, I think it is very much a valid concern to look for feedback on the situation, but I can only refer to the already mentioned e-mail address of the RKI - they might be able to provide more insight into their current view and the planned next steps.

[Ein-Tim]

Answer from the RKI to my mail:

"[…] Wir arbeiten mit Hochdruck an der Steigerung der Hotline-Kapazitäten, jedoch ist dies aus vielerlei Gründen mit erhöhtem Aufwand verbunden. Wir bitten die Verzögerung zu entschuldigen und empfehlen, es zu einem anderen Zeitpunkt erneut zu versuchen. […]"

I really hope we will see an improvement soon...

[dsarkar]

---

Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-10939

[Ein-Tim]

There are less Twitter reports on this, it seems like the situation has improved (or less users are getting infected and want to request a TAN).

[Ein-Tim]

It seems like the situation got worse again.

• https://twitter.com/kirshteinkoos/status/1484209260754083840?s=20 (waiting ca. 25 min. before hanging up)
• https://twitter.com/ChristianGunkel/status/1483916588495646720?s=20 (waiting over one hour in the hotline before hanging up)
• https://twitter.com/derfuchsifuchs/status/1484599448323960837?s=20 (can't come through since two days)

[vaubaehn]

Yes, there were also again few reports in Google Play Store. I don't understand, why in the beginning of the Omicron wave the operating hours of the TAN hotline has been reduced for daily 2 hours (closing at 20.00 instead of 22.00)?

Closed issue by accident - reopened accordingly.

[Ein-Tim]

@vaubaehn

Actually, the working hours have been reduced from 24/7 to 07:00h to 20:00h.

[vaubaehn]

@Ein-Tim Maybe you could write to RKI once more? ❤️ I don't know who's responsible for this planning, but my gut feeling is, it's connected with funding... Maybe you could ping Karl Lauterbach on Twitter?

To be honest, this kind of misplanning and obviously forseeable faults affect my motivation to engage into the project volunteerly rather much in a negative way.

[vaubaehn]

@vaubaehn

Actually, the working hours have been reduced from 24/7 to 07:00h to 20:00h.

I wasn't aware :(

[Ein-Tim]

@vaubaehn

I will write to the RKI via Mail again.

I can also ping Karl Lauterbach, but I doubt that I get an answer.

To be honest, this kind of misplanning and obviously forseeable faults affect my motivation to engage into the project volunteerly rather much in a negative way.

I would guess that there was some kind of internal analysis when the fewest calls reached the hotline and probably this was the time between 20:00h and 07:00h (however, I wonder why the technical hotline is still reachable from 07:00h till 22:00h).

[vaubaehn]

@Ein-Tim

I will write to the RKI via Mail again.

Thanks a lot.

I can also ping Karl Lauterbach, but I doubt that I get an answer.

I also wouldn't expect an answer, but something like "Es mehren sich Berichte, dass Covid-Infizierte bei der TAN Hotline nicht mehr durchkommen, um Codes für die Übermittlung einer Warnung über die Corona-Warn-App zu erhalten. Zudem wurden zu Beginn der Omikronwelle die Geschäftszeiten der Hotline verkürzt. Könnten Sie bitte schauen, was da los ist und ggf. (finanziell) nachsteuern? Vielen Dank!" and putting RKI, Corona-Warn and maybe some media in cc. With your reputation it may have an effect, even without answer. I don't have twitter unfortunately, and of I opened an account just for this, I would miss the reputation...

To be honest, this kind of misplanning and obviously forseeable faults affect my motivation to engage into the project volunteerly rather much in a negative way.

I would guess that there was some kind of internal analysis when the fewest calls reached the hotline and probably this was the time between 20:00h and 07:00h (however, I wonder why the technical hotline is still reachable from 07:00h till 22:00h).

Yes, that's probably the case. Most likely the intention was to safe some costs... But this is saving money at the wrong place as it's undetermining some crucial basic concepts of the whole project. To get a positive public perception and to be taken serious by the public, such a hotline needs to be reachable 24/7. Saving some 10.000 Euros is not worth damaging the whole project in these basic necessities.

@dsarkar additionally, the FAQ states that BOTH hotlines are closed during national holidays - could you please cross-check whether this is true? Thank you! https://www.coronawarn.app/en/faq/#international_phone_numbers

Edit: Whether tweeting or not, and if yes, what text/form is subject of internal discussion.

[Ein-Tim]

@vaubaehn

See my PM in Slack.

@dsarkar additionally, the FAQ states that BOTH hotlines are closed during national holidays - could you please cross-check whether this is true? Thank you!

This should definitely be cross checked as the app itself does not say so.

[vaubaehn]

After internal discussion, @Ein-Tim published this tweet: https://twitter.com/EinTim2/status/1484822606842900481?s=20

Thank you, @Ein-Tim ! ❤️

[MikeMcC399]

@Ein-Tim

... the FAQ states that BOTH hotlines are closed during national holidays

Good catch!

• PR https://github.com/corona-warn-app/cwa-website/pull/2295 changed the text from:

"The TAN hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week." to

"The TAN hotline is available Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. German local time (except on German national holidays)."

CWA Android 2.16.2 says: "Business hours: Daily (including weekends) 7am - 8pm (CET)"

This should probably be opened as a new issue in cwa-website. Do you want to do this?

[dsarkar]

@Ein-Tim @MikeMcC399 @vaubaehn Thanks for pinging me. @MikeMcC399 or @Ein-Tim Would you provide a PR and remove "(except on German national holidays)." from the TAN hotline? Let me know, please, thanks!

[Ein-Tim]

@dsarkar

Yes I will provide a PR.

FYI @MikeMcC399 & @vaubaehn

[MikeMcC399]

@Ein-Tim Thanks for picking this up! The next German public holiday is not until Apr 15, 2022, so you have plenty of time to get the information fixed!

[Ein-Tim]

PR https://github.com/corona-warn-app/cwa-website/pull/2368 opened to fix the wrong information reg. the reachability of the TAN hotline on German national holidays in the FAQ.

[dsarkar]

@Ein-Tim thanks also for your comment https://github.com/corona-warn-app/cwa-hotline/issues/14#issuecomment-1018775419

We will forward this to the corresponding entity.

[Ein-Tim]

Answer from the RKI to my second mail:

Um dem in den letzten Tage stark erhöhten Anruferaufkommen während der Tagesstunden gerecht zu werden, wurden die Servicezeiten der Verifikationshotline umgestellt - wie Sie zu Recht vermuten, um die Personalkapazität zu erhöhen. Leider benötigt auch diese Umstellung etwas Zeit, bitte seien Sie versichert, dass wir auch daran mit Hochdruck arbeiten! Bis zu einer reibungslosen Umsetzung können wir Sie nur um Ihre Geduld bitten.

[vaubaehn]

@Ein-Tim Thanks a lot. But I still don't get how this could happen as this situation was completely foreseeable quite some time ago. At least measures are taken (again).

[Ein-Tim]

I still update https://github.com/corona-warn-app/cwa-hotline/issues/14#issuecomment-974631128.

Meanwhile, more and more users are reporting that they get through after some time, but they are not called back.

[dsarkar]

@Ein-Tim Thanks for letting us know. Will be forwarded.

[vaubaehn]

According to some tweets you collected @Ein-Tim , hotline staff seems exhausted thus reacting unfriendly. Sounds like a lose-lose-situation for everyone. (related: https://github.com/corona-warn-app/cwa-hotline/issues/15)

[Ein-Tim]

There are multiple users on Twitter reporting that through the huge load the service quality decreased. This Tweet e.g. says:

Kann ich nachvollziehen! Wenn ich dann aber jemanden erreiche, die Person völlig genervt meine T-Nr. falsch aufschreibt und auflegt während ich die Nummer korrigieren will und ich jetzt wieder stundenlang in der Hotline hänge fehlt mir sämtliches Verständnis

This is a lose-lose situation for everyone, the hotline staff is exhausted and thus the quality of the service is bad and the user is also unhappy because they had to wait for a long time anf then there is someone who is really stressed and does rush through the process.

There is only one way to improve the situation: Increase the capacity of the hotline team.

[vaubaehn]

I'm getting a bit frightened to see how @Ein-Tim 's list of collected sample complaints https://github.com/corona-warn-app/cwa-hotline/issues/14#issuecomment-974631128 extends.

[Ein-Tim]

Two twitter users are reporting that they only had to wait 10-15 min. This is acceptable. Maybe the situation improved? https://twitter.com/DnlMndc/status/1488142266275405825?s=20&t=FvrX7Lm1Bqy7dhlhwrt3lQ

[xlr5]

Today I waited >45 minutes until I got someone who gave me a TAN

[dsarkar]

@Ein-Tim @xlr5 Will forward your feedback Thanks.

[Ein-Tim]

Judging from Twitter reports the situation today is really bad, waiting times between 45 Min & 1.15h.

[vaubaehn]

According to Google Play Store, someone tried for 2hrs yesterday, wrote he let it ring in one single call... Don't know whether the waiting line keeps callers actually such long in the line... Others reported to give up after 30/45 mins...

Doesn't look like it was possible to organize a real improvement during the last 3 weeks.

[Ein-Tim]

Meanwhile Twitter users are reporting that the waiting times are between 15-30 min. This is acceptable, but most users still think that it is too long.

[ndegendogo]

Tbh, I would give up after ~ 5 minutes....