AT&T experienced a widespread network outage on Thursday morning, impacting customers nationwide. Users faced difficulties in making calls, sending texts, and accessing the internet.
While Verizon and T-Mobile also had some reported outages, they were not as extensive. Both companies stated that their networks were operational and unaffected by AT&T’s outage. It’s possible that customers experiencing issues may have been trying to connect with AT&T users.
Over 74,000 AT&T customers reported outages on DownDetector, a digital-service tracking site, though this figure isn’t exhaustive as it relies on self-reporting.
Reports steadily increased throughout the morning but plateaued by 9 am ET. AT&T confirmed the widespread outage but did not offer a cause for the system failure.
“Some of our customers are experiencing wireless service interruptions this morning. We are working urgently to restore service to them,” AT&T said in a statement. “We encourage the use of Wi-Fi calling until service is restored.”
AT&T stated that certain sections of its network are starting to recover, but it could not provide an exact timeline for full restoration. The company has been addressing customer concerns online and directing them to contact customer service through direct messages.
Reason Behind AT&T Going Down
In recent days, AT&T has faced intermittent outages, including a temporary 911 service disruption in parts of the southeastern United States. While occasional outages occur, nationwide and prolonged disruptions are uncommon.
Although AT&T has not officially disclosed the cause, an industry insider, speaking anonymously, suggests it may be linked to the process of call handoffs between cellular networks, known as peering.
There is no evidence to suggest that Thursday’s outage resulted from cyberattacks or malicious activities, according to the industry source. Verizon’s spokesperson, Richard Young, stated that the nationwide outage affecting AT&T customers is nearing resolution.
Carriers often remain tight-lipped about the causes of network outages. Previous incidents have included construction accidents damaging fiberoptic cables, cases of sabotage, or network updates containing bugs that proved challenging to revert.
Local Governments Report Outages
AT&T’s outage has impacted various local governments, with several reporting disruptions to their services. San Francisco’s Department of Emergency Management issued a statement on Thursday morning, confirming the operational status of its 911 center but acknowledging that many AT&T customers were unable to reach the emergency line due to the outage.
The department advised individuals to utilize landlines or seek assistance from individuals with alternative service providers to access 911.
“We are aware of an issue impacting AT&T wireless customers from making and receiving any phone calls (including to 911),” the department said in its post. “We are actively engaged and monitoring this.”
The AT&T outage has had various impacts on emergency services across different regions. The Fire Department in Upper Arlington, Ohio, reported disruptions to its fire alarms, while St. Joseph County, Michigan, advised residents to utilize Wi-Fi for 911 calls if unable to connect via AT&T’s network. Cobb County, Georgia, assured that its 911 operations remained unaffected but recommended exploring alternative means of reaching emergency services.
Cabel County, West Virginia, suggested texting 911 as a last resort for customers unable to connect via traditional calling methods.
Additionally, New York Police Department officials informed CNN that AT&T phones were unable to make calls or send emails unless connected to Wi-Fi on Thursday morning.
An AT&T spokesperson confirmed that the company’s FirstNet network has continued to operate despite the outage. FirstNet, designed to cater to first responders, offers a more resilient network compared to AT&T’s commercial network.
It combines dedicated infrastructure with AT&T’s broader network coverage. FirstNet serves various emergency response entities such as police and fire departments, as well as first responders deployed during natural disasters.
Verizon And T-Mobile Say They’re Unaffected
On Thursday morning, approximately 1,000 outages were reported by both Verizon and T-Mobile customers, according to data from the DownDetector website.
“We did not experience an outage,” T-Mobile said in a statement. “Our network is operating normally.”
Verizon had a similar comment, saying it was unaffected by AT&T’s outage.
“Verizon’s network is operating normally,” Verizon told CNN in a statement. “Some customers experienced issues this morning when calling or texting with customers served by another carrier. We are continuing to monitor the situation.”
Reports of a T-Mobile outage on Downdetector are likely indicative of challenges customers faced when trying to connect with users on other networks, according to the company. Downdetector provides real-time status updates for over 12,000 services across 47 websites, representing 47 countries.
