A widespread cellular outage struck AT&T users across the United States on Thursday, causing disruptions in calls, text messages, and emergency services in major cities like San Francisco. The company confirmed that service was fully restored to all affected customers shortly after 3 p.m. ET.
In a statement addressing the outage, AT&T emphasized that maintaining customer connectivity remains their top priority and assured steps are being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Late Thursday, AT&T disclosed that an initial review indicated the outage was caused by the incorrect application and execution of a process during network expansion, rather than a cyberattack. The company pledged to continue investigating the incident to prevent recurrences.
Approximately 58,000 incidents were reported around noon ET, according to data from outage-tracking website Downdetector.com. Although AT&T did not specify the exact number of affected customers, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) confirmed it was investigating the incident and was in communication with AT&T and relevant safety authorities.
Shares of AT&T closed 2.41% lower on Thursday in response to the outage.
During the disruption, affected phones displayed either zero service bars or the letters SOS in the top right corner, although customers were still able to make calls using Wi-Fi calling.
The outage’s intensity spiked around 4:00 a.m. ET, reaching approximately 74,000 reported incidents by 8:30 a.m. ET, according to Downdetector.
The impact of the AT&T outage extended to emergency services, hindering people’s ability to reach 911. The San Francisco Fire Department confirmed the issue on social media, stating that AT&T wireless customers experienced difficulties making and receiving phone calls, including to 911.
Similar reports emerged from Atlanta and Massachusetts, where officials advised against inundating 911 centers with inquiries about service availability, urging users to refrain from such actions unless it is to report a genuine emergency.
Although Verizon and T-Mobile users also reported a few thousand outages, both companies attributed the issues to the surge in calls as affected individuals attempted to connect with other networks.
As investigations continue, AT&T users express relief as services are fully restored, while authorities emphasize the importance of clear communication during such disruptions to avoid unnecessary strain on emergency response systems.