New York AG opens investigation into recent AT&T outage
The Feb. 22 outage impacted thousands of Americans
This is a 'big black eye' for AT&T: Kurt Knutsson
Tech journalist Kurt Knutsson reacts to several agencies investigating the AT&T phone outages on 'The Claman Countdown.'
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday that her office is investigating the cause of the recent AT&T wireless network outage and the company's response to the incident that left thousands of consumers without service for hours.
"Nationwide outages are not just an inconvenience, they can be dangerous, and it’s critical that we protect consumers when an outage occurs," James said in a statement.
AT&T customers nationwide were left unable to place calls, send text messages or access the internet for up to 12 hours during the Feb. 22 outage, leaving "many unable to contact loved ones, conduct business, or access emergency services," the office said in a statement.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T | AT&T INC. | 23.00 | +0.17 | +0.75% |
CELLPHONE OUTAGE HITS AT&T CUSTOMERS NATIONWIDE; VERIZON AND T-MOBILE USERS ALSO AFFECTED
The AT&T network outage resulted in about 73,000 outage reports on DownDetector, a website that tracks internet and cellular network outages.
FOX Business reached out to AT&T for comment on the attorney general's investigation.
AT&T CEO John Stankey issued a letter to employees saying they "fell short."
In an initial review, Stankey said it appeared that the incident was "due to the application and execution of an incorrect process used while working to expand our network."
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Stankey explained that the company had been investing "billions to grow our network and deliver an even more exceptional customer experience. This is both a point of pride and a challenge that always requires care and focus."
He also noted that impacted customers would be compensated with a credit to their account "for the inconvenience."
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"Outages sometimes have outsized impacts on some subscribers that may be greater than the face value of the credit. For that reason, I believe that crediting those customers for essentially a full day of service is the right thing to do," he continued.
As the investigation continues, James is encouraging "any New Yorker who was affected by this disruption" to file a complaint with her office.