AT&T announces $5 credit after widespread outage
After the widespread outage AT&T said was caused by "the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network," the company said a $5 credit would be applied to accounts of impacted customers.
"We apologize for Thursday's network outage. We recognize the frustration this outage has caused and know we let many of our customers down," AT&T said in a statement on Saturday. "To help make it right, we're reaching out to potentially impacted customers and we're automatically applying a credit to their accounts. We want to reassure our customers of our commitment to reliably connect them – anytime and anywhere."
Thousands of people across the country had cellphone service issues for most of Thursday morning.
Reports of AT&T outages appear to have started at around 4 a.m. EST, according to Downdetector, before leveling off and picking up again at 11 a.m. EST.
Many North Texans were impacted, with over 70,000 customers without service at one point. Verizon, Cricket Wireless, and T-Mobile also had outages for thousands of users. The biggest areas impacted were Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago and Indianapolis.
By 3:10 p.m. EST on Thursday AT&T said the problem had been resolved.
"We have restored wireless service to all our affected customers," AT&T said on its website. "We sincerely apologize to them. Keeping our customers connected remains our top priority, and we are taking steps to ensure our customers do not experience this again in the future."
The company stressed on Thursday that the outage was not the result of a cyber attack.
AT&T said credit, which the company said is "the average cost of a full day of service," will typically be applied within two bill cycles and does not apply to AT&T Business, AT&T Prepaid or Cricket.
The FCC and FBI are investigating the outage.