AT&T has announced that it will be compensating customers affected by the nearly 12-hour network outage that occurred on Thursday. The mobile network will provide a $5 credit to potentially impacted AT&T Wireless customers, which the company states is the average cost of a full day of service.
In a news release issued late Saturday, AT&T acknowledged the frustration caused by the outage and expressed regret for letting down many of its customers. The company recognized that the outage may have hindered customers’ ability to connect with family, friends, and others, and could have had disruptive effects on small business owners who rely on the network to connect with their customers.
However, the credit will not extend to customers under AT&T’s Business or Prepaid plans, nor to those with Cricket Wireless accounts, which AT&T acquired in 2014.
The network outage began at 3:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, impacting tens of thousands of subscribers across the United States and causing disruptions in calls, texts, internet access, and emergency services. While regional service disruptions are not uncommon, nationwide outages of this duration are rare. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) confirmed that it was investigating the incident, and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency stated it was working closely with AT&T to understand the cause of the outage and its impacts.
AT&T later revealed that the outage appeared to be caused by an internal issue rather than a cybersecurity threat. The company stated that an incorrect process was applied during network expansion, leading to the outage. Although service was eventually restored, AT&T assured customers that it is taking measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, although specifics were not provided.
Overall, AT&T’s decision to compensate affected customers reflects its acknowledgment of the disruption caused by the outage and its commitment to addressing customer concerns.