AT&T has resolved a software issue that temporarily disrupted wireless service for some customers on Tuesday. The problems affected multiple locations, including Dallas, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, and New York City, according to reports.
The company confirmed that the issue has been fixed, and a spokesperson extended apologies for the inconvenience experienced by customers, emphasizing gratitude for their patience during the resolution process. However, AT&T did not disclose specifics regarding the number of affected customers or the duration of the outage.
Digital service tracking website Down Detector reported a spike in outages starting around 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, peaking at around 7 p.m. The reports gradually decreased by 10 p.m. The outage was localized and not nationwide, although it had significant geographical reach.
Several government agencies highlighted that the service disruptions could have impacted AT&T customers’ ability to call 911. In Hawkins County, Tennessee, local officials alerted residents to potential issues with reaching 911 services due to the outage, advising them to use a non-emergency line if necessary. Similarly, police in Pinole, California, noted that some callers might face difficulties reaching 911, though landlines and other carriers were unaffected. San Jose police also indicated late Tuesday that 911 call capabilities had been restored after experiencing outages.
North Little Rock, Arkansas, reported impacts to 911 call delivery due to the AT&T service disruption but noted that the issue had been resolved shortly thereafter. In Florida, Seminole County officials referenced an outage affecting 911 calls, recommending residents use non-emergency numbers until the situation improved.
This incident follows a recent $950,000 settlement between AT&T and the Federal Communications Commission over a prior failure to deliver 911 calls during an August 2023 outage that affected several states. As part of the settlement, AT&T committed to a three-year plan to enhance compliance with FCC regulations concerning 911 call delivery and outage notifications.
AT&T has faced multiple outages this year, including a significant incident in February that left many customers across the U.S. unable to make calls, send texts, or access the internet. The company attributed that issue to an internal error. Additional interruptions occurred in June, impacting calls between different carriers.
Recent months have seen a series of 911-related disruptions across states, including a notable incident in April linked to installation work and a Massachusetts outage in June caused by a computer firewall.