A sweeping cellular service outage has left thousands of AT&T users stranded in the United States, causing havoc by disrupting calls, text messages, and crucial emergency services. The extensive disruption has persisted for at least five hours, impacting major cities, including San Francisco, with more than 73,000 incidents reported around 8:15 a.m. ET, according to Downdetector.com.
Urgent Measures by AT&T
AT&T has acknowledged the interruptions faced by its customers and is “working urgently” to restore service. The company has advised users to leverage Wi-Fi calling until normal service is reestablished. The outage has even affected the ability to reach emergency services through the 911 hotline, leading to concerns about public safety.
City Departments Raise Alarms
Government departments across U.S. cities, including the San Francisco Fire Department, Prince William County Police Department in Virginia, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in North Carolina, have reported issues preventing AT&T wireless customers from making and receiving phone calls, including calls to 911.
T-Mobile and Verizon Respond
While Downdetector also indicated disruptions for users of Verizon, T-Mobile, and UScellular, T-Mobile and Verizon clarified that their networks were operating normally. They suggested the outage might be related to customers attempting to connect with other networks, emphasizing their network’s stability.
Senator Rick Scott Seeks Answers
U.S. Senator Rick Scott of Florida has reached out to AT&T for updates on the outage’s status. He emphasized the importance of AT&T keeping authorities informed and expressed expectations for swift restoration of 911 services to ensure public safety.
Regulatory Scrutiny Looms
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is yet to respond to inquiries about whether it is investigating the outage. In 2021, the FCC settled a probe into a T-Mobile outage, emphasizing the critical nature of uninterrupted emergency services and imposing a substantial penalty.
