Have you ever woken up to find your phone is just as sleepy as you are? Imagine the dread of trying to check your texts, only to realize your trusty AT&T network seems to have gone AWOL.
It’s the stuff of modern nightmares, and for many Americans on February 22nd, it was an all-too-real predicament. But what exactly happened to AT&T today? Were their towers down?
On early February 22nd, 2024, AT&T users nationwide faced a widespread network outage, with over 70,000 reported outages on DownDetector. Confirming “wireless service interruptions,” AT&T pledged urgent restoration efforts. However, the cause behind the outage remains unconfirmed at the time of reporting.
What Happened with AT&T? Is the Network Not Available?
In the wee hours of the morning on Thursday, February 22, 2024, like an unwanted wake-up call, reports began flooding in from across the nation.
It wasn’t just a case of a few disgruntled customers; it seemed like a full-blown network apocalypse was upon us.
As dawn broke, AT&T users in cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Dallas found themselves stranded in a virtual dead zone.
The first reports about the outage came at around 3:30 a.m. Eastern time when people noted on the DownDetector website that the network was non-operational.
Over 64,000 AT&T customers noted outages on DownDetector, but this tally isn’t exhaustive as it relies on self-reports. Despite a slight decline in outage reports around 5 am ET, they surged again by 7 am ET.
By 8 am, approximately 70,000 people complained of AT&T issues on DownDetector. In contrast, as per the NY Times, Verizon and T-Mobile had fewer complaints, with around 3,500 and 1,500 reports, respectively.
So, what’s the deal with the telecom turmoil?
Amidst the chaos, AT&T stepped into the spotlight, albeit with a somewhat cryptic message. They said in a statement (via CNN):
“Some of our customers are experiencing wireless service interruptions this morning. We are working urgently to restore service to them. We encourage the use of Wi-Fi calling until service is restored.”
This outage was sus for an hour but coming to Twitter to see it was nationwide and not just ATT but also Verizon and T-Mobile. It’s giving Russian Cyber Attack energy. But let me just go back to bed. pic.twitter.com/LsiTnN4jyE
— Kade Boehme (@kaderadenurface) February 22, 2024But what caused this digital doomsday?
According to AT&T’s website, wireless outages also occurred in Richmond, San Diego, and Miami, attributed initially to “maintenance activity.” However, at the time of writing, the company has remained tight-lipped about the cause.
As for T-Mobile and Verizon, they clarified that their customers aren’t experiencing network problems or interruptions. In an email, T-Mobile revealed to CNN:
“We did not experience an outage. Our network is operating normally. Downdetector is likely reflecting challenges our customers were having attempting to connect to users on other networks.”
Verizon also said in a statement to CNN that issues are cropping up when their users are attempting to contact people with other carriers:
“Some customers experienced issues this morning when calling or texting with customers served by another carrier. We are continuing to monitor the situation.”
Local governments felt the ripple effects of AT&T’s outage. From disrupted 911 services to wonky fire alarms, it seemed like no one was safe from the telecom tempest.
What could have caused such a widespread outage in today’s hyper-connected world? Are maintenance activities just a euphemism for digital chaos, or is there more to the story than meets the eye?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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